tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321195995957292292019-08-30T01:43:03.735-07:00Idle Handsby Claudine de MontignyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-68300248934835544002018-08-13T14:49:00.002-07:002018-08-13T14:50:32.105-07:00Fly Fringe ReduxClever and talented <a href="http://instagram.com/butterball_bunny">butterball_bunny</a> has been posting pics on Instagram of fly fringe she's making, so now I have fly fringe on the brain.<br /><br />I started some fly fringe AGES ago...maybe three years ago?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CbwXpy7aZuk/W3H8bSsWJWI/AAAAAAAAASw/zuG8KTWoCVQqOXtEIlnK02H-TN4ZLqeFwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180813_142214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CbwXpy7aZuk/W3H8bSsWJWI/AAAAAAAAASw/zuG8KTWoCVQqOXtEIlnK02H-TN4ZLqeFwCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20180813_142214.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some bow tie flies made from Japanese cotton floss.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I thought I had silk floss, but if I do I have no idea where it's go to. The flies pictures above are made from Japanese cotton. It takes a lot of work to make the flies super fluffy, so this is not really a great material for fly fringe.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UXnAR0blqKY/W3H8tr_wjaI/AAAAAAAAAS4/KoTovWPyI-4_agGC4on6t__nSKiNOD-3gCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180813_142539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UXnAR0blqKY/W3H8tr_wjaI/AAAAAAAAAS4/KoTovWPyI-4_agGC4on6t__nSKiNOD-3gCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20180813_142539.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some flies I made today, along with my bone tatting shuttle.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I'm also trying to figure out how to use a tatting shuttle to put the knots where I want them. I don't recall where or when I got this bone shuttle -- probably Costume College some years ago -- and I've never tatted a darn thing.<br /><br />The plan is to eventually weave these bow tie flies into a tape. Naturally, I've picked a style of fly that will requires dozens upon DOZENS for even a yard of fringe. Stay tuned.<br /><br /><i>What's up with this blog</i>: oy, it's been a very, very long time since I've added anything to this blog. Truth is, I'm just not a very good blogger. The other truth is that my creative endeavors have become even more sporadic and random than ever. I post (sporadically) on <a href="http://instagram.com/claudine.de.montigny">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;so hop on over there if you're curious about what I've been up to.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-36395229339077966012016-10-17T22:52:00.000-07:002016-10-17T22:52:25.011-07:00A short post about weavingGeeze, it's been <i>over a year</i> since I've posted anything.<br /><br />So why am I here now? Well, a recent visitor to this blog had a question about weaving, which it so happens I have been doing lately. Some time back I acquired a Schacht Rigid Heddle loom (<a href="http://schachtspindle.com/item/flip-folding-rigid-heddle-loom/" target="_blank">this one</a> though without the stand). I've done some rigid heddle weaving with <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2011/10/paddle-loom.html" target="_blank">a paddle loom</a>, and also a little bit of <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2012/08/learning-card-weaving-part-1.html" target="_blank">card weaving</a> (which is totally fun and I need to do it again), and at one point I had some ambitious weaving ideas, including crazy long shawls seen in Regency fashion plates, and period accurate fringe (eventually, one of these ideas will come to fruition...)<br /><br />Anyway, I wanted to be able to do more weaving than I could do with the paddle or the cards, but wasn't about the shell out big bucks for a floor loom. So, I went with a table loom with two rigid heddles.<br /><br />My first weaving project was pretty much a total failure, due to poor yarn choice. Maybe fuzzy angora-style yarns can be woven, but THIS particular fuzzy angora-style yarn SUCKED. I gave up on the weaving after only a few inches<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZZWwAodcdQ/WAWyfQoA9DI/AAAAAAAAEh4/EdW27axdMfwnQSGrH2NkINVBbOo0Nqb-ACK4B/s1600/P1060161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZZWwAodcdQ/WAWyfQoA9DI/AAAAAAAAEh4/EdW27axdMfwnQSGrH2NkINVBbOo0Nqb-ACK4B/s320/P1060161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />For my second weaving project, I used what I think is a cotton or cotton-blend yarn.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Su6V6NrKP3o/WAW0nn052LI/AAAAAAAAEiM/a52g8O0sjsY5rHvbmaPJNfTEXIxw5njKQCPcB/s1600/IMG_20160930_214454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Su6V6NrKP3o/WAW0nn052LI/AAAAAAAAEiM/a52g8O0sjsY5rHvbmaPJNfTEXIxw5njKQCPcB/s320/IMG_20160930_214454.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0o8_22A85wY/WAW0ngBnMgI/AAAAAAAAEiM/1Nn-Rqsm-js_7iK6kh5UwTyi0h0rkyJngCPcB/s1600/IMG_20160930_214458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0o8_22A85wY/WAW0ngBnMgI/AAAAAAAAEiM/1Nn-Rqsm-js_7iK6kh5UwTyi0h0rkyJngCPcB/s320/IMG_20160930_214458.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Yeah, that's me sitting on the floor with the loom, which is <i>not</i> how it's supposed to be used, and is <i>not</i> good for my back. Ahem.<br /><br />Here's the scarf that I wove.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CvKGh3VhM7E/WAW38KgceII/AAAAAAAAEik/LBFtjnzWlHQTPHI7eGZ3xbm-3dKxAe8kwCK4B/s1600/P1060175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CvKGh3VhM7E/WAW38KgceII/AAAAAAAAEik/LBFtjnzWlHQTPHI7eGZ3xbm-3dKxAe8kwCK4B/s320/P1060175.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />The yarn was slightly variegated, which serendipitously resulted in a plaid pattern.<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3QIGtDNrMiU/WAW4C5svcGI/AAAAAAAAEis/fyQditHoY3Qxj5OD-th27yTmfzhIQqGOwCK4B/s1600/P1060176.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3QIGtDNrMiU/WAW4C5svcGI/AAAAAAAAEis/fyQditHoY3Qxj5OD-th27yTmfzhIQqGOwCK4B/s320/P1060176.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>&nbsp; <br />This scarf was for the charity knitting (to which I've added weaving) a group of us at my work have been doing. This one will join the Red Scarf Project donations. Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-2410786215547641022015-08-29T17:49:00.000-07:002015-08-29T17:49:37.541-07:00House CleaningI think that I'm a typical costumer, in that, over time, I've accumulated a lot of costuming "stuff." I managed to clear out a few things at the <a href="http://www.gbacg.org/current/costumers-bazaar.html" target="_blank">GBACG Costumers Bazaar</a> last weekend, but still have many extra bits that need to go. So, I've set up shop <a href="http://www.bonanza.com/booths/Claudine_de_Montigny" target="_blank">at Bonanza</a>, and listed many costuming accessories, including some of the things you see below. A link to <a href="http://www.bonanza.com/booths/Claudine_de_Montigny" target="_blank">my Bonanza</a> shop also appears in the pane on your right.<br /><br />Here's a preview of some of the things I've listed. Funnily enough, they're pretty much all left from workshops I've taken or taught.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-74k4q6g8br8/VeJSB0GUOzI/AAAAAAAADaE/wnM473dLMi8/s1600/w-1030603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-74k4q6g8br8/VeJSB0GUOzI/AAAAAAAADaE/wnM473dLMi8/s320/w-1030603.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edwardian-style parasol.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRm5DFLcbTY/VeJSFUQVWZI/AAAAAAAADaM/30FmYKIfR50/s1600/w-1050772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRm5DFLcbTY/VeJSFUQVWZI/AAAAAAAADaM/30FmYKIfR50/s320/w-1050772.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th century embroidered neckerchief.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aE0M22Y5-8o/VeJSPWlpj3I/AAAAAAAADaY/SfPEQTAkyEc/s1600/w-1050777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aE0M22Y5-8o/VeJSPWlpj3I/AAAAAAAADaY/SfPEQTAkyEc/s320/w-1050777.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th century fancy pocket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8hNcfUIsOrA/VeJSPbgBQEI/AAAAAAAADag/RRwWjfXi2d8/s1600/w-1050782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8hNcfUIsOrA/VeJSPbgBQEI/AAAAAAAADag/RRwWjfXi2d8/s320/w-1050782.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th century fancy pocket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wdyvy2dq7do/VeJSPYyWQpI/AAAAAAAADaU/NAaaB_avXqY/s1600/w-1050787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wdyvy2dq7do/VeJSPYyWQpI/AAAAAAAADaU/NAaaB_avXqY/s320/w-1050787.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th century linen pocket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LV5BM2PVH0U/VeJSP-lb-rI/AAAAAAAADac/AZydN6iySG4/s1600/w-1050799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LV5BM2PVH0U/VeJSP-lb-rI/AAAAAAAADac/AZydN6iySG4/s320/w-1050799.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th century linen pocket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-skobII3Sx38/VeJSQe9epLI/AAAAAAAADa0/SFNNSYCsAeQ/s1600/w-1050802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-skobII3Sx38/VeJSQe9epLI/AAAAAAAADa0/SFNNSYCsAeQ/s320/w-1050802.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th century linen pocket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><u>What is Bonanza:</u><br />Bonanza advertises itself as an alternative to eBay. I find that it's a bit more of a cross between eBay and Etsy. It's a marketplace for folks like you and me to buy and sell stuff. Like Etsy, sellers set up a shop.<br /><br /><u>Why am I using Bonanza:</u><br />Frankly, Bonanza has a much simpler and affordable fee structure than eBay or Bonanza. I'm not a very active seller, and it can take me a long time to sell things. So I chose to use Bonanza because listing and maintaining listings for a long time is easy and affordable.Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-48643090337061828072015-08-11T14:35:00.002-07:002016-10-07T14:16:07.037-07:00Costume College 2015Time for a brief <a href="http://129.121.107.232/~costumer/college/" target="_blank">Costume College</a> recap.<br /><br />I didn't make any new costumes for Costume College this year, and I didn't want to go without costumes, so I brought the three most recent things I've made or acquired.<br /><br />At the Friday Night Social, I wore a 1950s-inspired cocktail dress. I made this for a special occasion in March, and will do a separate post on it later.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e1KE06TkUO8/Vcf8avzZm4I/AAAAAAAADXw/m4-g4sfYc-A/s1600/IMG_20150731_193715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e1KE06TkUO8/Vcf8avzZm4I/AAAAAAAADXw/m4-g4sfYc-A/s320/IMG_20150731_193715.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1950s-inspired silk cocktail dress, with my best attempt at a '60s bouffant.</td></tr></tbody></table>For part of Saturday I wore the 1920s ensemble <a href="http://lynnmcmasters.com/" target="_blank">Lynn McMasters</a> made for her <a href="http://lynnmcmasters.com/10s20sturbans.html" target="_blank">new turban pattern</a>. I'm really lucky that Lynn likes to use me as one of her models. I'm not super fond of having my photo taken, but frankly I'll do anything Lynn asks.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZofLL9V9toY/Vcf9gCymEuI/AAAAAAAADX8/JXB9t4YDfL4/s1600/IMG_67590880543390.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZofLL9V9toY/Vcf9gCymEuI/AAAAAAAADX8/JXB9t4YDfL4/s320/IMG_67590880543390.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1920s party dress designed and constructed by <a href="http://www.lynnmcmasters.com/" target="_blank">Lynn McMasters</a>. Photo courtesy of Val Labore. She blogs over at <a href="http://timetravelingincostume.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Time Traveling in Costume</a>. Val is funny and creative, go check her out!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />And finally, for the red carpet walk prior to the Gala, I wore the gown I made for the <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2014/12/new-york-society-tea.html" target="_blank">Bustle Tea</a> last year. It has some updates, and deserves a full blog post (which I'll get to sometime soon).<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lbc42/20142260399/in/album-72157656775924426/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Costume College 2015"><img alt="Costume College 2015" height="500" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/267/20142260399_d7be121639.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Noelle Paduan. See more at <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskhz15bE" target="_blank">her Flickr</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> Other highlights from Costume College include: seeing the ladies from <a href="http://www.tudortailor.com/" target="_blank">The Tudor Tailor</a> again, for the first time since I attended a workshop with them back in 2007; the always fabulous <a href="http://thepeacockdress.com/" target="_blank">Cathy Hay</a>; seeing some of the Web's most beautiful and talented costumers in person; lectures with fantastic folks like Jennifer at <a href="http://historicalsewing.com/" target="_blank">Historical Sewing</a>, <a href="http://booksnthreads.com/index/" target="_blank">Ithylwyn</a>, Amanda Irwin, Rory Cunningham, Heath Hammond, who I think said he was affiliated with the <a href="http://www.theenglishwarbowsociety.com/" target="_blank">English Warbow Society</a>, and many others; the goodies I had not meant to buy but that came home with me anyway; and, of course, catching up with everyone in my costuming "family," I love you guys, your talent, and your endless creativity.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KhOcISXWn1Q/Vcf-PXuOL_I/AAAAAAAADYI/B2IMNNoB9NQ/s1600/IMG_20150731_170128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KhOcISXWn1Q/Vcf-PXuOL_I/AAAAAAAADYI/B2IMNNoB9NQ/s320/IMG_20150731_170128.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane Malcom-Davies of The Tudor Tailor with your author.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kREV5K7T5DA/Vcf-PGw2Y0I/AAAAAAAADYM/SqE9dhXPD60/s1600/IMG_20150731_114932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kREV5K7T5DA/Vcf-PGw2Y0I/AAAAAAAADYM/SqE9dhXPD60/s320/IMG_20150731_114932.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer of <a href="http://www.festiveattyre.com/" target="_blank">Festive Attyre</a> (as the Grey Lady from Harry Potter) with Merja of <a href="http://augustintytar.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Before the Automobile</a> (which has got to be one of the best blog names ever).</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b08z5HTerM8/VcpbHpQXmxI/AAAAAAAADYk/lsCjmZhIIKg/s1600/P1050730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b08z5HTerM8/VcpbHpQXmxI/AAAAAAAADYk/lsCjmZhIIKg/s320/P1050730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodies from <a href="http://www.tudortailor.com/" target="_blank">The Tudor Tailor</a>! An autographed copy of "The Tudor Child," a copy of "The King's Servants," a pamphlet titled "'And her black satin gown must be new-bodied': The Twenty-First Century Body in Pursuit of the Holbein Look," and an updated edition of their "gable hood" pattern. All of these, except the pamphlet, can be had <a href="http://www.tudortailor.com/" target="_blank">from their website</a>.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ze1QJ69tC54/VcpbWMwy7dI/AAAAAAAADY0/DwUag3o8VGc/s1600/P1050731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ze1QJ69tC54/VcpbWMwy7dI/AAAAAAAADY0/DwUag3o8VGc/s320/P1050731.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More from <a href="http://www.tudortailor.com/" target="_blank">The Tudor Tailor</a>! My understanding is that this fan was used by the interpreters at Hampton Court Palace, and before that this was a prop in the movie "Shakespeare in Love." For real. Ray Fiennes may have touched it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rNKNcZ2XnRw/VcpbT6lUo4I/AAAAAAAADYs/EU-93sKZCQM/s1600/P1050732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rNKNcZ2XnRw/VcpbT6lUo4I/AAAAAAAADYs/EU-93sKZCQM/s320/P1050732.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And yet more from <a href="http://www.tudortailor.com/" target="_blank">The Tudor Tailor</a>! I believe the necklace an earrings were used by the interpreters at Hampton Court. The necklace needed a minor repair, so I got it for a steal. The lace is just-to-die-for reproduction Reticella that can also be had from <a href="http://www.tudortailor.com/lace-and-buttons/" target="_blank">their website</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHWqcJGQX7o/VcpbkYih7rI/AAAAAAAADZE/xhm-IHWqEEI/s1600/P1050734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHWqcJGQX7o/VcpbkYih7rI/AAAAAAAADZE/xhm-IHWqEEI/s320/P1050734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Dawn Sklar, the trims and buttons vendor. I normally reject ribbon trims because they look too machine made and modern, but this one is pretty darn passable. Stay tuned, this may some day soon appear on an 18th century dress....</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3PrJFINCEQk/Vcpbcer6SSI/AAAAAAAADY8/_4ftLsR8z6I/s1600/P1050733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3PrJFINCEQk/Vcpbcer6SSI/AAAAAAAADY8/_4ftLsR8z6I/s320/P1050733.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique rhinestone parure that I picked up in an antiques shop in Santa Barbara. I don't have a date for this set, and I'd wager a guess that it's no older than the 1950s, but it could pass for Edwardian. Besides, it's blue, it's pretty, and so it's MINE.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-71193031792673133932015-06-07T14:17:00.001-07:002015-06-07T14:17:47.947-07:00Turbans! Turbans! Turbans! (Photo Shoot)I'm back for another quick, catch-up post. Back in April I spent a day hanging out with <a href="http://www.lynnmcmasters.com/" target="_blank">Lynn McMasters</a> to model for her. She was (or still is) working on a pattern for turbans for various time periods. She has lots of friends who model for her millinery, including, on occasion, me.<br /><br />If you follow Lynn on Facebook at her page, "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hat-Patterns-Out-of-a-Portrait/1426832687551518" target="_blank">Out of a Portrait</a>" you've seen this photos before, as well as pics of her other fabulous models and hats. If you're a member of Facebook and don't follow Lynn, scoot on over there and follow here to get the scoop on her up-and-coming hat patterns.<br /><br /><u>Turban No. 1:</u><br /><br />This one is based on a late 18th century headdress. I can't recall the name or artist of the portrait that Lynn used as a model. The outfit was provided by me.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DN2eWHihud0/VXSxjpXGOzI/AAAAAAAADTc/7yaqHx9WEX4/s1600/DSCN4300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DN2eWHihud0/VXSxjpXGOzI/AAAAAAAADTc/7yaqHx9WEX4/s320/DSCN4300.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DPKLJgtLStQ/VXSxjYJo39I/AAAAAAAADTU/_jxmUkgPJnM/s1600/DSCN4256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DPKLJgtLStQ/VXSxjYJo39I/AAAAAAAADTU/_jxmUkgPJnM/s320/DSCN4256.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ql0d1d45CTg/VXSxjh-GH3I/AAAAAAAADTY/q-CllvBbnOs/s1600/DSCN4294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ql0d1d45CTg/VXSxjh-GH3I/AAAAAAAADTY/q-CllvBbnOs/s320/DSCN4294.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /><u>Turban No. 2:</u><br /><br />Jumping forward over a century, I don't recall what time period Lynn attaches to this turban, but given the hairstyle she probably means <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8lXMYbC8Iw/VXSyxWgpxjI/AAAAAAAADTs/9EMJmU3n_uQ/s1600/DSCN4321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8lXMYbC8Iw/VXSyxWgpxjI/AAAAAAAADTs/9EMJmU3n_uQ/s320/DSCN4321.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XdBCyc-a0-8/VXSyxjn2SKI/AAAAAAAADTw/6sruepzb3EM/s1600/DSCN4324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XdBCyc-a0-8/VXSyxjn2SKI/AAAAAAAADTw/6sruepzb3EM/s320/DSCN4324.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><br /><u>Turban No. 3:</u><br /><br />Still in the Jazz Age. This one features a fun sash and crazy feathers. Lynn made the dress.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9K49aJGTTdQ/VXSzJwAixHI/AAAAAAAADUA/S09Y837c0jc/s1600/DSCN4399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9K49aJGTTdQ/VXSzJwAixHI/AAAAAAAADUA/S09Y837c0jc/s320/DSCN4399.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RlwzX4EaxfU/VXSzJ04cZVI/AAAAAAAADT8/_AjZLSOwkSM/s1600/DSCN4381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RlwzX4EaxfU/VXSzJ04cZVI/AAAAAAAADT8/_AjZLSOwkSM/s320/DSCN4381.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><u>Turban No. 4:</u><br /><br />1920s or '30s. This one came in two pieces. The "dress" is one of my favorite sari's, creatively wrapped.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTH8MSgRYy8/VXSzceLf7jI/AAAAAAAADUM/IDo1vMIviXo/s1600/DSCN4340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTH8MSgRYy8/VXSzceLf7jI/AAAAAAAADUM/IDo1vMIviXo/s320/DSCN4340.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G17F7RtZJHE/VXSzchlyXHI/AAAAAAAADUQ/n9fEgku2uYQ/s1600/DSCN4357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G17F7RtZJHE/VXSzchlyXHI/AAAAAAAADUQ/n9fEgku2uYQ/s320/DSCN4357.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Lastly: this is not a turban, but Lynn needed photos of this really cool, lace-brim hat.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9t2xhdiciSM/VXSzzmClgDI/AAAAAAAADUc/FPcdvltmMqY/s1600/DSCN4410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9t2xhdiciSM/VXSzzmClgDI/AAAAAAAADUc/FPcdvltmMqY/s320/DSCN4410.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-11595625780126927762015-05-23T18:08:00.000-07:002015-06-07T14:18:16.481-07:00MakeFashion at Maker FaireHello! I'm here! Yes, I'm still alive. Just popping in for a quick post (hopefully the first of many).<br /><br />Last weekend I went to Maker Faire for the first time, to model a dress made by my good friends at <a href="https://twitter.com/amped_atelier" target="_blank">Amped Atelier</a> (that's a link to their Twitter feed), Sahrye and Hal. This was for the <a href="http://www.makefashion.ca/" target="_blank">MakeFashion </a>fashion show. MakeFashion is one of the groups that regularly participate in things like Maker Faire.<br /><br />Frankly, I was a little terrified. I'd never walked on a runway before. But the MakeFashion folks were very cool, organized, and prepared, the models and designers were fun, and in the end I just relaxed and had a good time. And besides, anything for a friend.<br /><br />Photos and video should eventually be uploaded at <a href="http://www.makefashion.ca/2015-gala-video-wrap-up/" target="_blank">the MakeFashion website</a>. As of today, I believe you can see a video that includes the dress, worn by the lady who modeled it in Calgary.<br /><br />You can find Sahrye and Hal on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/amped_atelier" target="_blank">@ampedatelier</a>, and also on Instagram.<br /><br />Sahrye also blogs over at <a href="http://itcamefromthestash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">It Came from the Stash</a>.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gnz0s2LJMC4/VWEiBRdOGxI/AAAAAAAADSw/EgVKkCvUVkg/s1600/MakerFaire%2B2015%2B-%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gnz0s2LJMC4/VWEiBRdOGxI/AAAAAAAADSw/EgVKkCvUVkg/s320/MakerFaire%2B2015%2B-%2B2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the runway, during the closing.</td></tr></tbody></table>The dress came in two pieces, the turquoise and black sheath dress underneath and the hoopskirt that went over. Multi-color LEDs lit up the deep vee neckline, and also went down the back. The hem of the hoopskirt featured a scrolling marquee.<br /><br />Amazingly, the dress fit just about right, even with my odd dimensions.<br /><br />I also want to point out the two ladies in the background of the photo above. The one in yellow had two prosthetic lower legs, and the one on the right had one. The prosthetic were&nbsp; beautifully carved, and lit up from the inside. Not only was that just NEAT, these two women just worked the crowed like you wouldn't believe. They were AWESOME.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-baSbByFM3Sg/VWEiB-Egd9I/AAAAAAAADS0/9ZVjPEfHnoM/s1600/MakerFaire%2B2015%2B-%2B11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-baSbByFM3Sg/VWEiB-Egd9I/AAAAAAAADS0/9ZVjPEfHnoM/s320/MakerFaire%2B2015%2B-%2B11.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside, in daylight.</td></tr></tbody></table>My makeup and hair were by Sahrye and our good buddy Mia. It featured a LOT of glue-on rhinestones, and glitter, yes glitter, painted on my lips. Looked great under the runway lights.<br /><br />The dress was quite a hit. After the second show, two different people came up to me and asked where they could get one.<br /><br />Wish I had more pics, but unfortunately I wasn't behind the camera this time. Hopefully soon we'll see some official pics from the MakeFashion folks.Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-10521852427821950282014-12-28T18:56:00.000-08:002014-12-28T18:57:43.366-08:00New York Society Tea 2014Yesterday the <a href="http://gbacg.org/" target="_blank">Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild</a> hosted its not-quite-annual <a href="http://www.gbacg.org/current/new-york-society-tea-2014.php" target="_blank">New York Society Tea </a>at The Palace Hotel, San Francisco. This event is often also called the Bustle Tea, since the time frame is late Victorian. No fewer than two of my sewing buddies have birthdays between Christmas and New Years, and both of them wanted to be costumed for their birthdays. So we decided to make this year's tea a bit of a birthday party.<br /><br />An afternoon spent with my gal pals, in costume, is always a blast, even more so after going nuts for weeks on end getting a new frock ready. More on that later.<br /><br />But who wants to read me talking? Just enjoy the photos!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmH7qAAZr7g/VKCiwz8246I/AAAAAAAAC_M/uuduP5dFJKU/s1600/IMG_20141227_142159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmH7qAAZr7g/VKCiwz8246I/AAAAAAAAC_M/uuduP5dFJKU/s1600/IMG_20141227_142159.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two birthday girls, Ms. G and Sahrye.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Li9fEgUkIuI/VKCi74MX3PI/AAAAAAAAC_U/Ib34bg2A7UU/s1600/IMG_20141227_142204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Li9fEgUkIuI/VKCi74MX3PI/AAAAAAAAC_U/Ib34bg2A7UU/s1600/IMG_20141227_142204.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noelle and Mia.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYZkUxtVWu4/VKCjHu0YjlI/AAAAAAAAC_c/Gxk8pHb2qoM/s1600/IMG_20141227_142216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYZkUxtVWu4/VKCjHu0YjlI/AAAAAAAAC_c/Gxk8pHb2qoM/s1600/IMG_20141227_142216.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms. D and Ms. H.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2IfcTGM97jU/VKCjn8fjfyI/AAAAAAAAC_k/e8mGpiMfzCM/s1600/IMG_20141227_142230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2IfcTGM97jU/VKCjn8fjfyI/AAAAAAAAC_k/e8mGpiMfzCM/s1600/IMG_20141227_142230.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Total attendance was something near 50.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5clh5Ug_NuI/VKCj1UbLsGI/AAAAAAAAC_s/1G4fYp8X27s/s1600/IMG_20141227_142258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5clh5Ug_NuI/VKCj1UbLsGI/AAAAAAAAC_s/1G4fYp8X27s/s1600/IMG_20141227_142258.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hal and your friendly neighborhood blogger.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eOgY7KeulRQ/VKC6cy64baI/AAAAAAAAC_8/0tAgKp7wT9M/s1600/IMG_20141227_150345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eOgY7KeulRQ/VKC6cy64baI/AAAAAAAAC_8/0tAgKp7wT9M/s1600/IMG_20141227_150345.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday girl, Sahrye.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQ7bXTOkkYk/VKC6jZcuxQI/AAAAAAAADAE/3uKd-BLXTcM/s1600/IMG_20141227_150351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQ7bXTOkkYk/VKC6jZcuxQI/AAAAAAAADAE/3uKd-BLXTcM/s1600/IMG_20141227_150351.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>You may recognize Sahrye's dress as <a href="http://www.costumersguide.com/dracula1.shtml" target="_blank">Mina Harker's dress from <i>Bram Stoker's Dracula</i></a>. Sahrye did an awesome version of the dress. She blogs over at <a href="http://itcamefromthestash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">It Came From the Stash!</a> Head over there to read more about this fantastic dress.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQhX5Roo4-c/VKC8B10ZCWI/AAAAAAAADAQ/cScKHISiS9s/s1600/IMG_20141227_150438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQhX5Roo4-c/VKC8B10ZCWI/AAAAAAAADAQ/cScKHISiS9s/s1600/IMG_20141227_150438.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvrz-U9lVOY/VKC8HkKHYyI/AAAAAAAADAY/wVNsZDxVJOg/s1600/IMG_20141227_150546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvrz-U9lVOY/VKC8HkKHYyI/AAAAAAAADAY/wVNsZDxVJOg/s1600/IMG_20141227_150546.jpg" height="320" width="240" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zCTKtBb-J1Q/VKC8R9X41uI/AAAAAAAADAg/D28R8qBQ2Kg/s1600/IMG_20141227_150731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zCTKtBb-J1Q/VKC8R9X41uI/AAAAAAAADAg/D28R8qBQ2Kg/s1600/IMG_20141227_150731.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcHuVn10V30/VKC8cBN8GdI/AAAAAAAADAo/6BW_cqm6Dik/s1600/IMG_20141227_150754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcHuVn10V30/VKC8cBN8GdI/AAAAAAAADAo/6BW_cqm6Dik/s1600/IMG_20141227_150754.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzFQZt21vt4/VKC8mfTx_gI/AAAAAAAADAw/DVLkL_mVYo8/s1600/IMG_20141227_150812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzFQZt21vt4/VKC8mfTx_gI/AAAAAAAADAw/DVLkL_mVYo8/s1600/IMG_20141227_150812.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>I love Mia's dress above for how absolutely <i>period</i> it looks. Small wonder, here's the dress she used as a model:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Victorian Wedding Dress Date: 1879 Culture: American Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Thomas W. Hotchkiss, 1939" class="pinImage" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/d5/07/43/d5074315df841e1c8614780cbaf2f4f3.jpg" height="320" style="margin: 0px auto; padding: 40px 0px;" width="193" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress, 1879, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mErjWkuIPaQ/VKC9xvO_z6I/AAAAAAAADBE/nXR_-7aVmq8/s1600/IMG_20141227_150844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mErjWkuIPaQ/VKC9xvO_z6I/AAAAAAAADBE/nXR_-7aVmq8/s1600/IMG_20141227_150844.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tI4i0GYQzXU/VKC96cPZaXI/AAAAAAAADBM/jh0TPcLgmHQ/s1600/IMG_20141227_150857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tI4i0GYQzXU/VKC96cPZaXI/AAAAAAAADBM/jh0TPcLgmHQ/s1600/IMG_20141227_150857.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay6qCataQho/VKC-FZ4m34I/AAAAAAAADBU/4eMEtO2BiwA/s1600/IMG_20141227_150933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay6qCataQho/VKC-FZ4m34I/AAAAAAAADBU/4eMEtO2BiwA/s1600/IMG_20141227_150933.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y8QG0tL-g-8/VKC-Ftzx0wI/AAAAAAAADBY/Eierfunv21Q/s1600/IMG_20141227_150950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y8QG0tL-g-8/VKC-Ftzx0wI/AAAAAAAADBY/Eierfunv21Q/s1600/IMG_20141227_150950.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0691m9r2bwk/VKC-R3lQr7I/AAAAAAAADBk/EWz3ReCjJkU/s1600/IMG_20141227_151036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0691m9r2bwk/VKC-R3lQr7I/AAAAAAAADBk/EWz3ReCjJkU/s1600/IMG_20141227_151036.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-duHzvQhgb-Y/VKC-eyFxFxI/AAAAAAAADBs/a8OH0As_F2M/s1600/IMG_20141227_151100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-duHzvQhgb-Y/VKC-eyFxFxI/AAAAAAAADBs/a8OH0As_F2M/s1600/IMG_20141227_151100.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QStbiAPuvA4/VKC-sGybDvI/AAAAAAAADB0/LCEc3qJullM/s1600/IMG_20141227_161654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QStbiAPuvA4/VKC-sGybDvI/AAAAAAAADB0/LCEc3qJullM/s1600/IMG_20141227_161654.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DFWXGvNahFQ/VKC-siWc8EI/AAAAAAAADB4/w2Xj8vfZsgA/s1600/IMG_20141227_161711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DFWXGvNahFQ/VKC-siWc8EI/AAAAAAAADB4/w2Xj8vfZsgA/s1600/IMG_20141227_161711.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wECMwlRKISw/VKC-siR6pvI/AAAAAAAADB8/R76JooGyuf0/s1600/IMG_20141227_161720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wECMwlRKISw/VKC-siR6pvI/AAAAAAAADB8/R76JooGyuf0/s1600/IMG_20141227_161720.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms. H provides our obligatory anachronistic moment.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c79Rinjf2Wo/VKC-tOiQvEI/AAAAAAAADCE/Dk6TMipoj44/s1600/IMG_20141227_165629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c79Rinjf2Wo/VKC-tOiQvEI/AAAAAAAADCE/Dk6TMipoj44/s1600/IMG_20141227_165629.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea was followed by shenanigans in the bar.</td></tr></tbody></table>Lastly, here's yours truly.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gU3E_TKTFMo/VKC_Mzd5fAI/AAAAAAAADCU/LTRyb-iv5Jc/s1600/IMG_20141227_150627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gU3E_TKTFMo/VKC_Mzd5fAI/AAAAAAAADCU/LTRyb-iv5Jc/s1600/IMG_20141227_150627.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qhX9FD3f-Aw/VKC_M43fdwI/AAAAAAAADCY/eZIrmgsXH-c/s1600/IMG_20141227_150638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qhX9FD3f-Aw/VKC_M43fdwI/AAAAAAAADCY/eZIrmgsXH-c/s1600/IMG_20141227_150638.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p-bEYb0A7xs/VKC_TSlfqaI/AAAAAAAADCk/n6QdecdW7bo/s1600/IMG_20141227_150654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p-bEYb0A7xs/VKC_TSlfqaI/AAAAAAAADCk/n6QdecdW7bo/s1600/IMG_20141227_150654.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>More chit-chat on this dress (and what is up with my hair) will come later. Right now I need to rescue my house from multiple weeks of frantic sewing.<br /><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-51082485545116338322014-12-24T12:44:00.000-08:002014-12-24T12:46:20.368-08:00Button ConfessionsI confess: I love covered buttons.<br /><br />Well, truthfully, I love all fussy, hand made buttons. But since I have an embroidery machine, covered buttons are the easiest for me to make quickly.<br /><br />Here's a set I stitched up last weekend:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxBKyC7KcFE/VJsggfjDe7I/AAAAAAAAC-o/KxT6jlySfJY/s1600/IMG_20141221_095922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxBKyC7KcFE/VJsggfjDe7I/AAAAAAAAC-o/KxT6jlySfJY/s1600/IMG_20141221_095922.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Embroidered covered buttons, ready to cut out. I made more than I think I need because there was space in the hoop. And it never hurts to have spare.</td></tr></tbody></table>My plan was to make these up using the technique I learned from <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2013/11/handmade-buttons-workshop.html" target="_blank">Nancy Nehring and her book</a>, but I only had twelve period accurate bone button molds. In the above photo you can see that I planned for twenty buttons. So I got a bunch of who-cares-what-they-look-like, slightly domed plastic buttons and went to town. Best to save my bone molds for when the center hole matters.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-55Wy2UvUJsA/VJsgp7fsODI/AAAAAAAAC-4/NYSaAriDt20/s1600/IMG_20141221_200920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-55Wy2UvUJsA/VJsgp7fsODI/AAAAAAAAC-4/NYSaAriDt20/s1600/IMG_20141221_200920.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instead of more authentic bone molds, I used cheap plastic buttons to cover.</td></tr></tbody></table>I've used the packaged covered button kits in the past, with both fantastic and disastrous results. The old-fashioned technique, though, has given me consistent results, so I stuck with that.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-njWhRr6gH60/VJsgn_d6mcI/AAAAAAAAC-w/_SSzsupWVNg/s1600/IMG_20141221_201059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-njWhRr6gH60/VJsgn_d6mcI/AAAAAAAAC-w/_SSzsupWVNg/s1600/IMG_20141221_201059.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clip, clip, stitch, stitch. These go together pretty quick, for me at least.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It took me less than a day (stitching around my full time job) to make all 26 buttons.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZX_xhQDKagk/VJsgSjtgSXI/AAAAAAAAC-g/hhrC-rSjDsY/s1600/IMG_20141222_212756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZX_xhQDKagk/VJsgSjtgSXI/AAAAAAAAC-g/hhrC-rSjDsY/s1600/IMG_20141222_212756.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>Seriously awesome, right? And really easy.<br /><br />These buttons are going onto my current project, which is getting its first wearing at the <a href="http://www.gbacg.org/current/new-york-society-tea-2014.php" target="_blank">GBACG New York Society Tea</a> next weekend. A full post on the outfit will come. Stay tuned!<br /><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-33007289608569162972014-11-25T08:57:00.001-08:002014-11-25T08:57:56.002-08:00Early 20th Century Fat Bottom PursesOK, I confess, I'm a lazy blogger.<br /><br />I haven't posted in a while, not because I've been too busy to craft, but because I just haven't felt like it. I know, terrible. In fact, I've been ding quite a lot of crafting, mostly knitting and on and off mad sewing.<br /><br />Here's something I finished since my last post: a pair of silk clasp purses that I've assigned to the early 20th century.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Lh_FABeuS4/VHSxzky8gDI/AAAAAAAAC8w/xNzwzFCCFPk/s1600/P1050542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Lh_FABeuS4/VHSxzky8gDI/AAAAAAAAC8w/xNzwzFCCFPk/s1600/P1050542.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silk purses with brass clasps and chains.</td></tr></tbody></table>I got it into my head to make a clasp purse over -- *ahem* -- two and a half years ago. I need more period hand bags, and I hadn't made a purse on a frame before.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm9YiljBCcE/VHSxzqBnfvI/AAAAAAAAC80/yBUc_VJQjnM/s1600/P1050543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm9YiljBCcE/VHSxzqBnfvI/AAAAAAAAC80/yBUc_VJQjnM/s1600/P1050543.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They're shaped with a fat bottom to accommodate plenty of stuff.</td></tr></tbody></table>I was enamoured with a fat bottom shape, and made these large enough for my on-the-large-side phone.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dQHzIE7-pkY/VHSx1Ko7NcI/AAAAAAAAC9A/RIPZIKR-TGw/s1600/P1050545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dQHzIE7-pkY/VHSx1Ko7NcI/AAAAAAAAC9A/RIPZIKR-TGw/s1600/P1050545.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It fits a sub-phablet phone in a bulky case.</td></tr></tbody></table>Of course the clasp had to be big enough, too.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqGCFxqSTsg/VHSx1zWiy_I/AAAAAAAAC9E/wYCDJ9jxrr0/s1600/P1050546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqGCFxqSTsg/VHSx1zWiy_I/AAAAAAAAC9E/wYCDJ9jxrr0/s1600/P1050546.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, my phone is a Tardis. It's bigger on the inside.</td></tr></tbody></table>So, I bought the materials and embroidered the sides, and (like many of my projects) put them aside.<br /><br />Fast forward to last fall, and I'm trying to clear off my work table. I finally sat down and threw these together. Though after so long, and despite having the pattern I drew handy, I forgot that I had given them a 3/8" seam allowance. So, well, their shape is not exactly what I had intended.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7sfv8SYgfI/VHSx0B9QgaI/AAAAAAAAC9I/hhI7JN-Nf5k/s1600/P1050544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7sfv8SYgfI/VHSx0B9QgaI/AAAAAAAAC9I/hhI7JN-Nf5k/s1600/P1050544.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exterior is duchess silk. Interior is taffeta. Brass frame and chain, rayon embroidery, glass beads.</td></tr></tbody></table>The outsides are duchess silk and the insides are taffeta. The clasp and chain are brass and the embroidery is rayon.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Lh_FABeuS4/VHSxzky8gDI/AAAAAAAAC8w/xNzwzFCCFPk/s1600/P1050542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Lh_FABeuS4/VHSxzky8gDI/AAAAAAAAC8w/xNzwzFCCFPk/s1600/P1050542.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />The one without the fringe is going to <a href="http://www.lynnmcmasters.com/" target="_blank">Lynn McMasters</a>, who made the beaded fringe.<br /><br />One unfinished project done, umpteen more to go!Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-14945943884509082202014-08-20T22:03:00.000-07:002014-08-20T22:04:32.335-07:00The Thrifty Woman's Yarn Workshop<div dir="ltr">A handful of folks saw me at Costume College <a href="http://makezine.com/craft/how-to_plying_your_own_yarn/" target="_blank">plying yarn</a> with my homemade drop spindle.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C9Zkko5VESE/U_VqvI8u6FI/AAAAAAAAC2E/3EHNdA4NySw/s1600/P1050520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C9Zkko5VESE/U_VqvI8u6FI/AAAAAAAAC2E/3EHNdA4NySw/s1600/P1050520.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A drop spindle made from things you can find around the house (well, my house, anyway).</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">Now, I have a very nice, wooden drop spindle, but it has yarn on it that I don't want to take off yet. So I needed second spindle. I made one using <a href="http://yarngeekfibers.com/tutorials/2013/7/20/how-to-make-a-cd-spindle.html" target="_blank">these instructions</a>, though I didn't want to hunt for the plastic grommet, so I hot glued the disks in place (I glued one disc on at a time, letting the glue cool a little first, and spun the dowel while the glue was cooling, to keep the dowel centered and the glue even).</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Once I plied all the yarn, I needed to get it off the spindle so that it could get a quick wash to set the twist. I don't know if this next tool has a name; it's a box with holes and slots cut in to hold the spindle while I pulled the yarn off.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lKakGWNpKQ4/U_VsT5aKHiI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/fp3YuUYTttA/s1600/P1050512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lKakGWNpKQ4/U_VsT5aKHiI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/fp3YuUYTttA/s1600/P1050512.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spindle holder? Spool winder? Spinny thing? I don't know what to call this box-with-holes cut in.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">Lastly, here's my...well, let's be honest, this is the GHETTO-est yarn swift ever. It's a box on a small lazy susan.&nbsp;</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFk94bqTmzI/U_VtLB0KHqI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/qR_tRc_Gbqg/s1600/P1050515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFk94bqTmzI/U_VtLB0KHqI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/qR_tRc_Gbqg/s1600/P1050515.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ghetto-est yarn swift ever.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">Oh wait, one more tool was involved. I don't have a yarn winder, so I hand wind on a <a href="http://www.woolery.com/Store/pc/Using-a-Nostepinne-d38.htm" target="_blank">nostepinne</a>. Except that I don't have a nostepinne, I use a clean chopstick.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mn9kYK5DHWA/U_V8ztOb8SI/AAAAAAAAC3Q/XZcqXCMn6q4/s1600/P1050530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mn9kYK5DHWA/U_V8ztOb8SI/AAAAAAAAC3Q/XZcqXCMn6q4/s1600/P1050530.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "winding stick" (a chopstick).</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr">I'll show you later what I actually made from this yarn (which I was also carrying around with me at Costume College). </div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Now, for the yarnies that are still with me, here's a treat: I was at the Whaling Museum in Nantucket just recently, and found these beautiful, whalebone yarn swifts.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQWqyH9Mejs/U_VtjmGD6sI/AAAAAAAAC2g/3D3QDvVbodI/s1600/IMG_20140721_121938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQWqyH9Mejs/U_VtjmGD6sI/AAAAAAAAC2g/3D3QDvVbodI/s1600/IMG_20140721_121938.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whalebone yarn swift at the Whaling Museum in Nantucket.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">It's such a delicate thing, can you imagine it being actually used to wind yarn? Moreover, can you imagine the labor to make this thing (each strut is ornamented) and the feelings of the woman who would have received it? She had better have been gratified.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">The museum had a couple of whalebone swifts.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fEQaC702Mo/U_VuJWdCleI/AAAAAAAAC2s/ZumwISR6gE4/s1600/IMG_20140721_121953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fEQaC702Mo/U_VuJWdCleI/AAAAAAAAC2s/ZumwISR6gE4/s1600/IMG_20140721_121953.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whalebone objects at the Whaling Museum in Nantucket.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">These were displayed with several whalebone knitting needles, sewing clamps, and some other objects that I didn't take note of. These objects are made from <i>bone</i> and not baleen, which is the "whalebone" used for corsetry. I saw some samples of unprocessed baleen, but didn't get a photo.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">And of course, one can't discuss objects made from whalebone without mentioning BUSKS.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TxpfgSFoEtA/U_VvCZds50I/AAAAAAAAC28/CRjC8eoaPgI/s1600/IMG_20140721_122227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TxpfgSFoEtA/U_VvCZds50I/AAAAAAAAC28/CRjC8eoaPgI/s1600/IMG_20140721_122227.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whalebone busks. The darker one might be baleen, I didn't read the label.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IAhpsihJM24/U_VvCgrdcHI/AAAAAAAAC24/5axZFTbKUys/s1600/IMG_20140721_121834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IAhpsihJM24/U_VvCgrdcHI/AAAAAAAAC24/5axZFTbKUys/s1600/IMG_20140721_121834.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The museum has managed to get a hold of quite a few beautifully carved busks.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">The Whaling Museum is very nicely done. A lot of time (and money, probably) has gone into the displays, and there are some very nice talks (though skip the movie, it's heavy on "isn't this island great" and way to light on history and facts; the presentation on the history of whaling was VERY good, however). If you happen to be on Nantucket Island, I recommend a visit. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-53599433652213400712014-08-17T09:22:00.000-07:002014-08-17T09:27:28.583-07:00Brief Costume College RecapYes, I know, Costume College was TWO weeks ago. What can I say, I'm not a very diligent blogger.<br /><br />I was thrilled to be back at <a href="http://129.121.107.232/~costumer/college/" target="_blank">Costume College</a> this year. I missed last year, due to other commitments. I didn't have much to contribute to the neverending parade of GORGEOUS costumes though. As you can see from the quietness of this blog, I haven't been sewing much. So, the weekend included a minimum of costumes for me, but also plenty of socializing and oggling.<br /><br />For the Friday Ice Cream Social I wore a vintage dress I recently acquired.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yp8s4PAl-Bo/U_BGsYpkWlI/AAAAAAAAC1A/P9g_-bxpJg0/s1600/DSC_2290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yp8s4PAl-Bo/U_BGsYpkWlI/AAAAAAAAC1A/P9g_-bxpJg0/s1600/DSC_2290.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage dress from the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Amy O.</td></tr></tbody></table>I got this dress from Etsy seller <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/youthstep" target="_blank">youthstep</a>, and I just love the use of lace. Inside there's a label that says "Rappi," anyone know anything about this designer? I do not have a figure for vintage dresses, and this one proves it (the bust is quite a bit too big).<br /><br />For the Gala I wore my 1950s-style ballgown.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j72vCEh3XgA/U_BIHqcZzeI/AAAAAAAAC1U/fO3izWXziiM/s1600/P1050472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j72vCEh3XgA/U_BIHqcZzeI/AAAAAAAAC1U/fO3izWXziiM/s1600/P1050472.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Been there, done that.</td></tr></tbody></table>I also put my red french gown in the exhibit room. CGW lent me a very jaunty mannikin, which was no fun to dress.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZfkCAyytPw/U_BIqaLc_cI/AAAAAAAAC1c/6sKFuiWnF1o/s1600/P1050448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZfkCAyytPw/U_BIqaLc_cI/AAAAAAAAC1c/6sKFuiWnF1o/s1600/P1050448.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attitude, 18th century style.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />As for classes, I popped in and out of quite a few, and soaked up as much as I could. I took the limited glove making class, and made a glove.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AHgKIZQa3dk/U_DUkvNvFQI/AAAAAAAAC1s/7bHrimnv94s/s1600/P1050522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AHgKIZQa3dk/U_DUkvNvFQI/AAAAAAAAC1s/7bHrimnv94s/s1600/P1050522.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first (ever) glove.</td></tr></tbody></table>I stopped at one. The fit wasn't quite right (some of the fingers are too short) and my construction technique could really use some work. I'll fiddle with the pattern and try again in the future, but in the meantime I found a pair of leather gloves in the Marketplace.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HIFn7UhWXNE/U_DUv-y3NMI/AAAAAAAAC10/WYPe5j18BxA/s1600/P1050525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HIFn7UhWXNE/U_DUv-y3NMI/AAAAAAAAC10/WYPe5j18BxA/s1600/P1050525.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very dirty leather (possibly kidskin) gloves.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />They fit nearly perfectly, which is a surprise, since commercial gloves never fit me so well. They are filthy (hence, they were cheap), and they need a good conditioning. So cleaning and restoring these gloves is a future project.<br /><br />And lastly: I spent a loads of time catching up with so many fantastic costumers and meeting new folks. I deeply, truly, LOVE the costuming community, and every day am thankful that I get to play with ya'll. :)Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-75296379816701363322014-07-05T18:16:00.000-07:002014-07-05T18:16:12.239-07:00These are not the trimmings I meant (French Gown c. 1780)Now for a post about something I did actually make myself.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJRuKtiCbj8/U7iavdZVxyI/AAAAAAAACwo/M_MZe7V3JlM/s1600/P1040713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJRuKtiCbj8/U7iavdZVxyI/AAAAAAAACwo/M_MZe7V3JlM/s1600/P1040713.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zone Front French Gown c. 1780. Trimmed with floral garlands for Bal Di Carnivale.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In late 2013, the <a href="http://www.gbacg.org/" target="_blank">Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild</a> (GBACG) announced that in February it would host a Carnivale themed Venetian ball. I decided this was the excuse I needed to make a French gown that I planned years ago.<br /><br />The gown is loosely based on this well-known, pink and frothy number house at the Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI):<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EuXNkGDKZMU/U7ibzqv-hoI/AAAAAAAACw4/gmS8Liv_X-E/s1600/KCI-shipgown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EuXNkGDKZMU/U7ibzqv-hoI/AAAAAAAACw4/gmS8Liv_X-E/s1600/KCI-shipgown.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Gown c. 1780. Kyoto Costume Institute.</td></tr></tbody></table>This gown is interesting because it has a zone front. It's the only sacque-back gown I'm aware of that has a zone front. The floral decorations are interesting as well, and are apparently painted silk.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hoUPjkMk24Q/U7iavVApl-I/AAAAAAAACwk/wxCholVrpnU/s1600/P1040715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hoUPjkMk24Q/U7iavVApl-I/AAAAAAAACwk/wxCholVrpnU/s1600/P1040715.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ribbon is wired, so to make it fit pulled the wire to gather it in strategic places.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I made my version out of a purple and gold striped damask, and used the pattern I had developed for <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2011/07/1750-court-dress-part-1.html" target="_blank">the red french gown</a> I made a few years ago. That saved loads of time. I don't remember the last time I had a dress go together so fast.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJweq1DRALE/U7iezXIdpzI/AAAAAAAACxY/UTVWmm-CFhc/s1600/P1040721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJweq1DRALE/U7iezXIdpzI/AAAAAAAACxY/UTVWmm-CFhc/s1600/P1040721.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got the stripes symmetrical, but didn't try to match the back of the neckline.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Yet I <i>still </i>ran out of time to&nbsp; make and attached the trimmings, which were also supposed to be loosely based on the KCI gown, though embroidered instead of painted. A week before the event I decided that there was no way I was going to get the trims done (and still sleep and go to work). So, I trotted off to Michael's, the craft store. I bought four plastic floral garlands, several handfuls of plastic floral sprigs, and several spools of gold wired ribbon, and got creative.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_3TgCJY_vfQ/U7ieyXxFe8I/AAAAAAAACxQ/AwdX6eCXL5I/s1600/P1040717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_3TgCJY_vfQ/U7ieyXxFe8I/AAAAAAAACxQ/AwdX6eCXL5I/s1600/P1040717.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V5EQYJFTb6U/U7ieyhUiczI/AAAAAAAACxw/y6ZKJ_gt02s/s1600/P1040718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V5EQYJFTb6U/U7ieyhUiczI/AAAAAAAACxw/y6ZKJ_gt02s/s1600/P1040718.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trimmings are plastic floral garlands and sprigs, creatively safety-pinned on.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Because 1) I was in a hurry, and 2) I wanted to be able to get these garlands off easily later, everything is attached with safety pins.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SzbF9sgykso/U7ie0cXGv3I/AAAAAAAACyI/q8N246afnd8/s1600/P1040724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SzbF9sgykso/U7ie0cXGv3I/AAAAAAAACyI/q8N246afnd8/s1600/P1040724.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bodice front closes with two hook sand bars.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PP5A0cNUOXs/U7ie1jAySyI/AAAAAAAACyY/J82lh5AwapU/s1600/P1040727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PP5A0cNUOXs/U7ie1jAySyI/AAAAAAAACyY/J82lh5AwapU/s1600/P1040727.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ribbon was safety-pinned also.</td></tr></tbody></table>The original pattern is JP Ryan's, and I've deviated from the pattern's instructions by skipping the back lacing (I put in a big tuck) and using lacing strips.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CAk-r-ist1U/U7ie1sx-aXI/AAAAAAAACyU/9dJIf9uQhAY/s1600/P1040726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CAk-r-ist1U/U7ie1sx-aXI/AAAAAAAACyU/9dJIf9uQhAY/s1600/P1040726.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front laces under the stomacher, as according to the pattern.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I also wanted to be able to get into it mostly by myself, so the stomacher is tacked on on one side, and attaches with hooks and bars on the other side.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hquzAtKnLqQ/U7ie0hjp6aI/AAAAAAAACyA/TEEuDgghQVI/s1600/P1040725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hquzAtKnLqQ/U7ie0hjp6aI/AAAAAAAACyA/TEEuDgghQVI/s1600/P1040725.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stomacher is tacked to the bodice on one side, and attaches with hooks and bars on the other side.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Finally, I had wanted to make new sleeve ruffles, but...you know...ran out of time. So I put on my old faux-whitework sleeve ruffles.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAjmDKUHEl4/U7ieynGk98I/AAAAAAAACxg/aYHixQ4QFKA/s1600/P1040719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAjmDKUHEl4/U7ieynGk98I/AAAAAAAACxg/aYHixQ4QFKA/s1600/P1040719.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2b0wpEDE8Hc/U7iezB1RrJI/AAAAAAAACxo/bWIWmARzyGE/s1600/P1040720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2b0wpEDE8Hc/U7iezB1RrJI/AAAAAAAACxo/bWIWmARzyGE/s1600/P1040720.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My old faux-whitework sleeve ruffles finished the gown.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I will some day finish the trims I had planned, as well as the sleeve ruffles (I'm going to attempt machine whitework on mesh). I've already taken all the trims off, now just need to find the time to finish the embroidery and get it stitched on.<br /><br />I also styled a new wig for this outfit, and will have to do a post on it later.<br /><br />Here's a few pics of the gown in action.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qu8m7TaI1vA/U7ihvbzlCrI/AAAAAAAACyg/60_OJAlWYOI/s1600/P1040665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qu8m7TaI1vA/U7ihvbzlCrI/AAAAAAAACyg/60_OJAlWYOI/s1600/P1040665.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jayLowVHi0w/U7ihvEH1P8I/AAAAAAAACyk/ow64kBoLnDg/s1600/P1040670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jayLowVHi0w/U7ihvEH1P8I/AAAAAAAACyk/ow64kBoLnDg/s1600/P1040670.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-89912934438144321332014-06-07T09:31:00.000-07:002014-06-07T09:32:49.943-07:00Post-WWI Day HatI'm back!<br /><br />Yup, I took yet another hiatus from this blog to take care of "stuff." I'm back for at least for the summer, though, and hopefully free to do some fab costuming and crafting.<br /><br />Before I delve into the latest update in my costume collection, I'd like to make an announcement: last March (yes, it's been that long), the hosting for my website, claudinedemontigny.com, was up for renewal. Since I have practically no time to maintain the site, I let the hosting expire. There are still links from this blog to the website, and I'll change those eventually, but in the meantime don't be surprised if you get a "page not found" error.<br /><br />Ok! Back to the business of costuming. My latest costume thing is this gorgeous post-World War I hat, not made by me but by <a href="http://www.lynnmcmasters.com/" target="_blank">Lynn McMasters.</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qUJacK6i_4/U5M9ApFifsI/AAAAAAAACrY/g1c9YYGgv60/s1600/P1050405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qUJacK6i_4/U5M9ApFifsI/AAAAAAAACrY/g1c9YYGgv60/s1600/P1050405.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />It's based on her "Post WWI, Late Teens / Early 20's" hat pattern. You can find more information on that pattern <a href="http://lynnmcmasters.com/PostWWI.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sCNzG04NWZA/U5M9AyCRJYI/AAAAAAAACrU/UYkjoda9MMo/s1600/P1050406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sCNzG04NWZA/U5M9AyCRJYI/AAAAAAAACrU/UYkjoda9MMo/s1600/P1050406.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />I don't actually recall the genesis of this hat. I think at the time she had just released the pattern, and suddenly she says: I'm making you a hat! That was quite a few months ago. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhmoiSSk__Y/U5M9Akdb8KI/AAAAAAAACrQ/T1xd80dQ9kg/s1600/P1050407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhmoiSSk__Y/U5M9Akdb8KI/AAAAAAAACrQ/T1xd80dQ9kg/s1600/P1050407.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />I forget what exactly the fabric is (charmeuse, I think), but the lace is vintage and I'm pretty sure she made the cord and tassels herself. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azO6wo_Svxs/U5M9B8CwwVI/AAAAAAAACrk/_K60iJfsfCs/s1600/P1050408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azO6wo_Svxs/U5M9B8CwwVI/AAAAAAAACrk/_K60iJfsfCs/s1600/P1050408.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><br />Anyway, 'nuff said, I'll just be quiet now so you can enjoy the photos. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1y6oBkiYn50/U5M9CA9H-VI/AAAAAAAACr0/h5HjeP644Ds/s1600/P1050409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1y6oBkiYn50/U5M9CA9H-VI/AAAAAAAACr0/h5HjeP644Ds/s1600/P1050409.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PiyKOU9BEpE/U5M9CYCqGdI/AAAAAAAACrs/-Q94kkAVsdo/s1600/P1050410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PiyKOU9BEpE/U5M9CYCqGdI/AAAAAAAACrs/-Q94kkAVsdo/s1600/P1050410.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G4ZJrNC5pFU/U5M9C_TEnXI/AAAAAAAACr4/ddHj7auRSg4/s1600/P1050412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G4ZJrNC5pFU/U5M9C_TEnXI/AAAAAAAACr4/ddHj7auRSg4/s1600/P1050412.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-9722247259833966922013-11-10T10:09:00.000-08:002013-11-10T10:09:00.387-08:00Handmade Buttons WorkshopYesterday I attended the Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild "<a href="http://gbacg.org/current/lace-buttons.php" target="_blank">Making Lace Buttons</a>" workshop, with Nancy Nehring, who you can find at her website, <a href="http://lacebuttons.com/" target="_blank">Lace Buttons</a>. Nancy is the author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heirloom-Buttons-Make-Nancy-Nehring-ebook/dp/B002DUCC3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1384104448&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=make+buttons" target="_blank">50 Heirloom Buttons to Make</a></i>, a book that makes you just drooool over the pretties. Sadly, the book is out of print, and while there is a Kindle edition available, the Kindle e-book is only in black and white and messes up the pagination (the pictures are not necessarily where they're supposed to be). But the e-book is better than nothing.<br /><br />In person Nancy is energetic, very knowledgeable about buttons, and an experienced teacher. She has the sort of technical, visual and mechanical mind that would have made her a great engineer, if she hadn't discovered a better calling.<br /><br />I also want to put in a plug for workshops in general. I'm pretty good at figuring things out, but getting a chance to sit down with someone who has already spent hours figuring this stuff out is invaluable. I got tips that took me from just fiddling to making buttons in no time. I also just love the overflow of creative energy at a workshop: give fifteen people the same instructions, and you get fifteen different results. I just love that.<br /><br />Anyway, here are the buttons I made:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wdR8aqeaT5E/Un_Dhh4TWiI/AAAAAAAAB6w/m-39p7qftSQ/s1600/P1040632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wdR8aqeaT5E/Un_Dhh4TWiI/AAAAAAAAB6w/m-39p7qftSQ/s320/P1040632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sample buttons.</td></tr></tbody></table>Make no mistake: making these fancy buttons is fiddly and time consuming. But if you're really fond of tedious handwork (like me) and have at least some manual dexterity, really, go for it. Go look at the photos in Nancy's book. The results are just ridiculously lovely.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-imvObHJ-dN8/Un_EFg7BaoI/AAAAAAAAB7I/KEFSQ9FN4Tk/s1600/P1040633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-imvObHJ-dN8/Un_EFg7BaoI/AAAAAAAAB7I/KEFSQ9FN4Tk/s320/P1040633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two "wrapped braid buttons", called "Soutache Checkerboards"<br />in the book.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xje_miB6i_Y/Un_EDkEpIQI/AAAAAAAAB7A/ZrgakcODXPw/s1600/P1040634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xje_miB6i_Y/Un_EDkEpIQI/AAAAAAAAB7A/ZrgakcODXPw/s320/P1040634.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more "wrapped braid buttons", the "Evening Star"<br />&nbsp;on the left, and the "Morning Star" on the right. These are<br />made from hemp cord. Other folks in the class used a finer,<br />smoother cord, which made for a more refined button,<br />&nbsp;in my opinion.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZysTcciwV-w/Un_EAEOmbJI/AAAAAAAAB64/Qhg4IXkDzoM/s1600/P1040635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZysTcciwV-w/Un_EAEOmbJI/AAAAAAAAB64/Qhg4IXkDzoM/s320/P1040635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Singleton" button (named after the Singleton family,<br />who at one point had a monopoly on this style of button).<br />It's fabric wrapped around a ring. I added a little bit of<br />chainstitch embroidery to it, for visual interest.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBxo-VQ9qNE/Un_EaouX7ZI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/ralsBq4BwiI/s1600/P1040636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBxo-VQ9qNE/Un_EaouX7ZI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/ralsBq4BwiI/s320/P1040636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two "Victorian Needle Lace" buttons, "Victorian Flag"<br />&nbsp;on the left, and "Victorian Star" on the right. These are<br />silk beading cord over silk charmeuse.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f53-KHOfcf0/Un_EgC0oj0I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/A7CiSaVJCbQ/s1600/P1040638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f53-KHOfcf0/Un_EgC0oj0I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/A7CiSaVJCbQ/s320/P1040638.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are the backs of the buttons. The four on the right have<br />wrapped shanks, mostly because it helps keep the cord in place.<br />I didn't bother to put shanks on the three on the right, and<br />according the Nancy, period buttons rarely had shanks.</td></tr></tbody></table>I stuck the buttons onto what I call my sample board, which contains a combination of, well, samples, and finished things that are waiting to be attached to a finished article (and..uhm...well, they've been waiting a <i>very</i> long time).<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxkRMf0EYoI/Un_ElSwhPnI/AAAAAAAAB7g/PVcaPMkifGs/s1600/P1040641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxkRMf0EYoI/Un_ElSwhPnI/AAAAAAAAB7g/PVcaPMkifGs/s320/P1040641.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sample board.<br />Kinda tells you what I was working on<br />at one point.</td></tr></tbody></table>A sample board is a great way to lay out samples and experiments, and have them handy when you're looking for an idea to fill a design. I have another corkboard for more dynamic works-in-progress, a place for me to get stuff out of my head and see how it looks in real life (which is currently blank, and thus a reflection of where my time is -- or rather, is not -- being spent right now). Being able to visualize is a great design tool.Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-83308328335449115912013-10-27T22:11:00.000-07:002013-10-27T22:11:06.911-07:00Manhattan 1950s Ballgown<div dir="ltr">Hey look! I've been sewing! Yeah, go ahead and say it: "what, you still do that?!"</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Yup, I had a good excuse. I got invited to a swanky, black tie wedding in New York City, and decided I should go 1950s, full, bell skirt and all. Or at least 1950s-inspired, since I don't really know that much about the 1950s. I really didn't feel like going shopping for something new, and equally didn't feel like just pulling something out of the closet. And what the heck, I sew, so off I went. Now, I've known about this wedding since March, and, of course, only really started planning about a month and a half beforehand. And stitching? Started about three weeks beforehand. But I got on the plane to NYC with a wearable gown, only plus some basting stitches that you can't see anyway (and less a whole lotta sleep).</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Below is the story of this gown, from the initial design to the wearing, including some serious dressmaking drama that I know all of you that do this sort of thing are intimately familiar with. This is a very long post, so grab a cup of coffee and get comfy, or just skip ahead to the photos.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b>The Design</b> </div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">After some surfing I decided that I wanted a gown that looks like a certain Lyn Ashworth wedding gown, dissected here by me (you can find a photo of it on one of my Pinterest boards <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/215680269624535941/" target="_blank">here</a>):</div><div dir="ltr"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1dwNxOx_LdA/Um3b5NoJ4RI/AAAAAAAAByY/UzOrsuwEJcs/s1600/sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1dwNxOx_LdA/Um3b5NoJ4RI/AAAAAAAAByY/UzOrsuwEJcs/s320/sketch.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Analysis of a wedding gown by Lyn Ashworth. The gown consisted of a satin bodice with a dropped waistline, gathered chiffon skirt over at least one additional layer of skirt, and a sheer overbodice down to the mid-torso and with forearm-length sleeves. Not illustrated are fabric flowers at the waistline and on the shoulder.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div dir="ltr">I decided to go with navy, appropriate for an evening wedding in a hotel and in stark contrast to bridal white. Fabrics were easy: duchess satin for the bodice, chiffon for the outer skirt layer, taffeta for the under skirt layer, and organza for the overbodice thingy. Trick was finding all those different fabrics in the same shade of blue. I lucked out at <a href="http://www.thaisilks.com/" target="_blank">Thai Silks</a>, which had the navy blue I was looking for in chiffon and charmeuse (which isn't satin but has the same shine and when flat-lined with organza would have similar body). I went with their navy taffeta also, though it has a noticeable yellow cast that isn't present in the other fabrics -- under the chiffon it wouldn't really matter. The organza I knew I could get from <a href="http://www.puresilks.us/" target="_blank">Pure Silks</a>.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">But I wasn't done yet with the design. I've had in it my head for a while to do something in the vein of this Alexander McQueen gown, worn by Jessica Chastain at the 2012 Oscars:</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVOeWUU36k0/UmcD0BJZazI/AAAAAAAABu4/2CPgAyWg2wA/s1600/JessicaChastainGlamourMag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVOeWUU36k0/UmcD0BJZazI/AAAAAAAABu4/2CPgAyWg2wA/s320/JessicaChastainGlamourMag.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen<br />at the 2012 Oscars.<br />Photo by Glamour Magazine.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">McQueen did a whole line in this style, which you can see most of in <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/demontigny1775/my-fantasy-futuro-wardrobe/" target="_blank">one of my Pinterest boards</a> (just scroll, you can't miss them). But that's a lot of embroidery, even by machine, and I had limited time. Not to mention that I was just going to a wedding, not the Oscars. And you can see there's an obvious clash between this look and the design of the gown.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">But I wanted embroidery, so I figured I'd do the embroidery first and then decide what exactly I'd do with the overbodice thingy. For the embroidery I went with patterns by My Fair Lady, who sells through the website <a href="http://www.secretsof.com/" target="_blank">Secrets of Embroidery</a>. As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I rarely digitize embroidery from scratch. That just takes too much time, and it's a lot faster to just work with designs digitized by someone else. Granted, it's tough to find period-appropriate designs that can pass for hand embroidery (depending on the embroidery technique, it's sometimes just impossible). But for this gown it didn't really matter.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b>The Undergarments</b></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Strapless gown means some kind of strapless support. Frankly, all the strapless and/or backless bras I've worn in the past kind of suck. I debated corsetting (not quite the right silhouette) and building a foundation into the gown (didn't really have the time for that). I decided to just see what I could find online, and happened upon <a href="http://www.whatkatiedid.com/" target="_blank">What Katie Did</a>, a shop that reproduces vintage undergarments. Their "<a href="http://www.whatkatiedid.com/en_us/product/589/vintage-satin-merry-widow-by-what-katie-did?fes_prd_id=589" target="_blank">Glamour Merry Widow</a>" was just what I was looking for:</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H56uQkQIcgQ/Um3doP1SiGI/AAAAAAAAByk/b75VEpgPaHU/s1600/whatkatiedid-merrywidow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H56uQkQIcgQ/Um3doP1SiGI/AAAAAAAAByk/b75VEpgPaHU/s320/whatkatiedid-merrywidow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Postcard courtesy of What Katie Did, showing the merry widow similar to the one I bought from them (mine isn't as long). My figure isn't as "vivacious" as the model's, but the merry widow sure does show off what I have!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div dir="ltr">The full skirt I was shooting for also required some kind of support. I figured, heck, I should be able to buy a crinoline petticoat; after all, there are plenty of folks who dress in vintage, and plenty of modern bridal gowns call for skirt support.. So I tried and <i>tried </i>to find a ballroom-length crinoline petticoat. I found plenty of bridal petticoats, but the ones that had anywhere near the shape I was after all had hoops. I even bought one, and it'd be great for doing an 1860s era gown, but it was just WAY to full for what I had in mind.</div><div dir="ltr"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g9DwTVr73mU/Um3fDueJjHI/AAAAAAAAByw/j7EV_guTfzM/s1600/P1040607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g9DwTVr73mU/Um3fDueJjHI/AAAAAAAAByw/j7EV_guTfzM/s320/P1040607.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A four-hoop bridal petticoat I bought on eBay. It has a great shape for the 1860sbut it's HUGE and too rigid for the 1950s.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div dir="ltr">So, I gave in and made a crinoline petticoat:</div><div dir="ltr"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0035wsWcGrs/Um3fmVRY7SI/AAAAAAAABy4/H0sggOQ5o4s/s1600/P1040611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0035wsWcGrs/Um3fmVRY7SI/AAAAAAAABy4/H0sggOQ5o4s/s320/P1040611.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ballgown length crinoline petticoat I made in a day. The first layer is a cotton A-line skirt with three rows of nylon net ruffles, gathered to the yoke. The second layer is about 215 inches of nylon tulle, also gathered to the yoke. The hem of the first layer has nylon horsehair braid in the hem for additional uumph.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div dir="ltr">I quickly drafted up a yoke from a skirt pattern I had laying around, and used a shorted version of the lining from the Vogue pattern I discuss below to make an under layer. I gathered three rows of nylon net with the gathering foot for my sewing machine and attached them to the under layer, which I did in cotton to avoid having anything scratchy around my legs. I then gathered about 215 inches (in circumference) to the yoke, both for more fluff and to soften the humps from the net. The cotton under layer also has nylon horsehair braid in the hem. The end result is floof but with softness. I'm pretty happy with the result.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b>The Pattern</b></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">I could have patterned this gown from scratch, but again, I really didn't have the time. Conveniently, Vintage Vogue has a pattern that was almost exactly what I needed, except the neckline, which was easy to change:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PlTIETJBG8Y/UmcCtIdRK6I/AAAAAAAABuw/kv6MoVrubuk/s1600/V1094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PlTIETJBG8Y/UmcCtIdRK6I/AAAAAAAABuw/kv6MoVrubuk/s320/V1094.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Vogue 1094</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">I modified and mocked up just the bodice, and here is where I have to tell you: it is NICE having friends who sew. I had a great deal of difficulty getting my dress form into the merry widow at the same proportions as myself. The dress form, a Uniquely You, and I have -- ahem! -- strayed from each other in size over the course of the last decade. I ran over to Ms. G's house and she and Ms. H did an excellent fitting. A week later (and one week before the wedding) I did a second fitting in the gown's lining with Ms. H and Ms. S and BAM! had a perfect fit. Or so I thought.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b>The Drama</b></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">In my rush to finish this gown I made an essential mistake. For the gown's lining I used a linen-cotton blend for its weight and breathe-ability. But guess what? Linen and cotton, alone or in combination, stretches a bit on grain. Silk, especially organza, DOES NOT.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">With a zipper pinned into the left side seam I could squeeze into the lining after the second fitting. So, I went ahead and embroidered the front and back pieces (stitching through both the charmeuse and organza as well as heavy tearaway stabilizer -- I did NOT want any puckering in the stitches!); basted the charmeuse to the organza; cut out the pieces; sewed up the darts; attached front to back; attached both skirt layers; set in the zipper; and tried it on...</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">...and it didn't fit.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">It didn't find by a lot. I was at T-minus two days before leaving for NYC, and there was no way I could make the bodice fit, even by letting the side seams out as much as possible. Though now would have been an appropriate time to throw the damn thing into a corner in utter frustration, I calmly evaluated the situation. The front fit great, with the side seams in the right place. The back (which went through the most fitting changes) was just too narrow from the waist up. I was starting to see how the gown would look when finished, and I just couldn't give up. There was nothing to do but to redo the back.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">I added nearly two inches to the side seams, in an angle from the waist. I cut out a new lining first, to make sure the back still fit smoothly. It wasn't really a big deal to re-embroider the back, and once again baste the organza and charmeuse layers together. The tedious bit was detaching and re-attaching the gathered skirts. That done, and zipper pinned in, I tried it on again...</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">...and it still didn't fit, but this time it was only by barely half an inch. I let both side seams out as far as they'd go, keeping in mind that I still needed to put in the lining, and tried it on again...voilá, it fit.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><i>The lesson learned here is this</i>: do your fittings in fabric with the same amount of stretch as your fashion fabric. Or don't, but add ease to your finished, fitted pattern, or plenty of fitting allowance in the seams of the exterior of the bodice. I knew all of this, but in my rush figured things would just work out. Things did work out, but backtracking and redoing cost me many hours of sleep.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b>The Evolution of the Design</b></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Even though I <i>love </i>the look of the McQueen gown, I decided to go with a much less ostentatious amount of embroidery. That amount of embroidery just wouldn't have been right for this particular gown. Along the way I also decided that covering the embroidery with a sheer fabric was silly. My sewing buddies agreed, and the overbodice disappeared from the design.</div><div dir="ltr">But I didn't want a purely strapless gown. It would've looked fine, but just wasn't what I was going for. So, while the above drama was going on, I patterned out and stitched up a sleeveless, crew-neck bodice that only went down to the underbust line and opened center back. I wanted the center back to gap, and so closed it with only one button at the top, with a second false button for symmetry. In an episode of min-drama, it took me an hour to make both covered buttons; I put a layer of cotton under the organza exterior, to hide the shiny button dome, and all that fabric is a tight squeeze behind the button back.</div><br /><div dir="ltr"><b>The Accessories</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div dir="ltr"><br />The complete ensemble must have accessories, of course, starting with shoes.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rO-lGqREhJo/Um3jv-CE36I/AAAAAAAABzE/Gkposc82-kU/s1600/P1040617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rO-lGqREhJo/Um3jv-CE36I/AAAAAAAABzE/Gkposc82-kU/s320/P1040617.JPG" width="320" />&nbsp;</a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Satin pumps by Nina.</td></tr></tbody></table>I found a just PERFECT pair of satin pumps, which were pretty darn comfortable and in a height that I'm pretty used to wearing.<br /><br />I also needed a clutch, just something large enough to carry my cellphone, a room key, and lipstick. I found this on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy</a>:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QeM50zaEhvo/Um3lCEEPYpI/AAAAAAAABzQ/yG9jmcLDVg8/s1600/P1040618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QeM50zaEhvo/Um3lCEEPYpI/AAAAAAAABzQ/yG9jmcLDVg8/s320/P1040618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purse by <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/RokkiHandbags" target="_blank">RokkiHandbags </a>on Etsy.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cgyWMa-be3w/Um3lu5dHGqI/AAAAAAAABzY/HCNGU6Z65J0/s1600/P1040619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cgyWMa-be3w/Um3lu5dHGqI/AAAAAAAABzY/HCNGU6Z65J0/s320/P1040619.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The purse is lined with cotton, closes with a magnetic snap,<br />and has a number of card pockets.</td></tr></tbody></table>Yup, it's an old book cover converted into a clutch purse. The book here is <i>The Ruling Passion</i> by Henry Van Dyke, copyright 1913, which I have never heard of, but I thank his publisher for the color and layout of the cover, which now has a new life as a purse.<br /><br />And I absolutely ADORE it. Not only does it match the dress just right, and not only is it just the right size for what I wanted to carry -- it's funky, clever, and unique. I love products that have a flair of <i>different </i>about them, that take a wild detour away from mainstream. This purse is exactly my style.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b>The Finished Ensemble</b><br /><br />The evening before I had to get on the plane I did the hand-stitching required to set in the lining (but left behind some basting stitches) and wrestled a hem onto the taffeta layer (the chiffon layer got its hem earlier, accompanied by a great deal of swearing). I even managed to pack before collapsing into bed.<br /><br />Here's the finished gown, photographed after I got home: <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZcPZCewyqs/Um3oLwRf8lI/AAAAAAAAB0A/dIHYgz_5p_w/s1600/P1040612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZcPZCewyqs/Um3oLwRf8lI/AAAAAAAAB0A/dIHYgz_5p_w/s320/P1040612.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pl-dATiOKmE/Um3oL0DD3mI/AAAAAAAAB0E/unnjUY2akS4/s1600/P1040613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pl-dATiOKmE/Um3oL0DD3mI/AAAAAAAAB0E/unnjUY2akS4/s320/P1040613.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7lpw3cZDERc/Um3qp8Oyg8I/AAAAAAAAB0Q/_bqUHQyhADM/s1600/P1040614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7lpw3cZDERc/Um3qp8Oyg8I/AAAAAAAAB0Q/_bqUHQyhADM/s320/P1040614.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_sVWRXWpO94/Um3nuhtWK7I/AAAAAAAABz4/vPakvZDMqLY/s1600/P1040616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_sVWRXWpO94/Um3nuhtWK7I/AAAAAAAABz4/vPakvZDMqLY/s320/P1040616.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8RsSQfZLI4/Um3np6Sf_zI/AAAAAAAABzs/w6DO2AOEltU/s1600/P1040615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8RsSQfZLI4/Um3np6Sf_zI/AAAAAAAABzs/w6DO2AOEltU/s320/P1040615.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>And here's the dress in action. I had my hair and make-up done at a local salon, with astounding results: my hair remained perfect and comfortable for over 10 hours! I also had a fun game of "find the bobby pins" at the end of the night; I pulled 29 out of my hair. The salon was <a href="http://mianoviel.com/" target="_blank">Miano Viel</a>, if you're interested, and my stylist's name was Rebecca, who gets my hearty recommendation.</div><div dir="ltr"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5I4aP5PK-q4/Um3tM8lVgDI/AAAAAAAAB1g/pCYO7_fA-58/s1600/P1040572-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5I4aP5PK-q4/Um3tM8lVgDI/AAAAAAAAB1g/pCYO7_fA-58/s320/P1040572-crop.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4fI1-m8aYk/Um3rbJyo2oI/AAAAAAAAB0g/P8gB6gufOvw/s1600/P1040576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4fI1-m8aYk/Um3rbJyo2oI/AAAAAAAAB0g/P8gB6gufOvw/s320/P1040576.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-msaGUi5ehmM/Um3rYVHrX2I/AAAAAAAAB0c/nTQ0eNJWbf0/s1600/P1040573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-msaGUi5ehmM/Um3rYVHrX2I/AAAAAAAAB0c/nTQ0eNJWbf0/s320/P1040573.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aRXStefwjBY/Um3u5rtM2HI/AAAAAAAAB14/aMbV1KQrmyM/s1600/P1040591-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aRXStefwjBY/Um3u5rtM2HI/AAAAAAAAB14/aMbV1KQrmyM/s320/P1040591-crop.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8CwDFjvOKJA/Um3u3gCFUII/AAAAAAAAB1s/nXkTaROJqIA/s1600/P1040592-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8CwDFjvOKJA/Um3u3gCFUII/AAAAAAAAB1s/nXkTaROJqIA/s320/P1040592-crop.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UXl6NZ3e7o/Um3u47omd8I/AAAAAAAAB10/I8r1L41O_Pk/s1600/P1040594-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UXl6NZ3e7o/Um3u47omd8I/AAAAAAAAB10/I8r1L41O_Pk/s320/P1040594-crop.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6u5_hiMxyOQ/Um3slOe8lWI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/eKeFlMQdy1E/s1600/P1040596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6u5_hiMxyOQ/Um3slOe8lWI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/eKeFlMQdy1E/s320/P1040596.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GUD0s3MVkHo/Um3skKgseRI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/Stfclp9grCY/s1600/P1040598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GUD0s3MVkHo/Um3skKgseRI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/Stfclp9grCY/s320/P1040598.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>The dress has quite a few "oh well, I'm just going to have to live with thats" but as far as I'm concerned, the dress was a success by virtue of having been wearable by the time of the event. I did receive quite a few compliments, so I must have done good. Best of all: it felt really good to be stitching again! So, stay tuned for more to come.<br /><br />P.S. if I ever, propose working with chiffon again...just shoot me quickly and put me out of my misery.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-13075971641409602932013-05-24T11:05:00.003-07:002013-05-24T11:28:24.666-07:00The Last Eight Months Have Not Been IdleI know it's been more than eight months since I posted last, but it's been at least that long since I've posted about anything I've been doing. Those of you who know me in real life know that I have had a LOT going on, none of which has to do with costuming or crafting. In theory, most of that will wrap up at the end of summer and leave me with more time to sew, but, well, you know...we'll see. :)<br /><br />Anyway, even when I have too much piled on I make time to craft, if for no other reason than to maintain my sanity (such as it is). I just kept the projects bite-sized and portable. That is, I took up knitting and crocheting.<br /><br />At Costume College last August, I took a one-hour course on Tunisian crochet. I had learned to crochet and knit when I was really young, but stopped around the age of 18, sever, er, decades ago. I had never heard of Tunisian crochet, so I thought I'd give it a go. Well, that lead me to starting to crochet again, whiiich lead inevitably to my knitting again.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 304px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 329px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YMiFkpUcaLA/UZ-obzwJMZI/AAAAAAAAAJg/xJ1CsjVWQK0/s1600/P1030792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YMiFkpUcaLA/UZ-obzwJMZI/AAAAAAAAAJg/xJ1CsjVWQK0/s320/P1030792.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little bit of a Tunisian crochet sampler scarf I started. This is some sort of wrapped stitch that I got out of the book <i>101 Easy Tunisian Crochet Stitches</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table>So here's a sample of the things I've knit, in no particular order. Nothing historic, just stuff I can wear every day, with a sprinkling of totally random nonsense.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 272px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 166px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7qeDy-F-D0/UZsDCF0C3SI/AAAAAAAAAHg/McImNPhNHJk/s1600/P1030811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7qeDy-F-D0/UZsDCF0C3SI/AAAAAAAAAHg/McImNPhNHJk/s320/P1030811.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocheted flying piggy.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 352px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 52px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Eg8y4W0ICPU/UZr3bvm35zI/AAAAAAAAAGs/1NoL9FPzTqs/s1600/P1030836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Eg8y4W0ICPU/UZr3bvm35zI/AAAAAAAAAGs/1NoL9FPzTqs/s320/P1030836.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunisian crocheted moss green cowl.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 288px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 153px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_CwDZAPEZnI/UZr4GaEFNEI/AAAAAAAAAG0/KuNxvISLMw0/s1600/P1030847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_CwDZAPEZnI/UZr4GaEFNEI/AAAAAAAAAG0/KuNxvISLMw0/s320/P1030847.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storage tube for my crochet hooks (an experiment in Tunisian&nbsp; crochet stitches and crocheting in-the-round).</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 368px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 96px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MKXoL14tPk/UZr52ijz2fI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/k1DDd1xCt3s/s1600/P1030914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MKXoL14tPk/UZr52ijz2fI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/k1DDd1xCt3s/s320/P1030914.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunisian crochet fingerless mitts, also made in-the-round.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 368px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 167px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DuU7FLUkIIw/UZsGlNdOp7I/AAAAAAAAAHw/X-6qrSHpnGc/s1600/P1040100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DuU7FLUkIIw/UZsGlNdOp7I/AAAAAAAAAHw/X-6qrSHpnGc/s320/P1040100.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matching neck warmer, also in Tunisian crochet.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 368px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 89px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3xOS5Kylq3Y/UZr5E9X4BuI/AAAAAAAAAHE/P_IK20yjzo4/s1600/P1030867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3xOS5Kylq3Y/UZr5E9X4BuI/AAAAAAAAAHE/P_IK20yjzo4/s320/P1030867.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crochet sweater-coat (really more coat than sweater).</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 368px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 65px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f4BJvqdRuZE/UZ-nNv7sHUI/AAAAAAAAAJU/kyYbPRGhgio/s1600/P1040265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f4BJvqdRuZE/UZ-nNv7sHUI/AAAAAAAAAJU/kyYbPRGhgio/s320/P1040265.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knit shrug, made from cashmere yarn recycled from a store-bought shrug.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2tFqRxKJlQ/UZ-qtHzVHGI/AAAAAAAAAJw/CGBwkMR3dgg/s1600/P1030822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2tFqRxKJlQ/UZ-qtHzVHGI/AAAAAAAAAJw/CGBwkMR3dgg/s320/P1030822.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And finally, a sad little crochet bear.</td></tr></tbody></table>If you find my yarn-work interesting (or you're just a yarn addict), and you're a <a href="http://ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a> user, come find me over there, my username is "cdemontigny".<br /><br />More to come soon! I've got more costuming and crafting goings-on to report. Stay tuned!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-11897937474481222012012-12-25T14:10:00.002-08:002013-05-24T11:27:55.568-07:00Steampunk Has Gone WAY MainstreamI was flipping through some old junk mail and came across an ad for this:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZelZMpsptx4/UNodlQQk8OI/AAAAAAAABCE/z5bT9K9bbvw/s1600/Devon-Tread-1-Steampunk-watch-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZelZMpsptx4/UNodlQQk8OI/AAAAAAAABCE/z5bT9K9bbvw/s320/Devon-Tread-1-Steampunk-watch-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devon Tread 1 Steampunk watch. Photo snagged from <a href="http://www.ablogtowatch.com/devon-tread-1-steampunk-watch-review/" target="_blank">ablogtowatch.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table>This is the Tread 1 watch by Devon, the "Steampunk Watch". It is...*ahem*...<u><b>$25,000</b></u> (supposedly being produced in a limited edition of 150). This is just my opinion, but when something this expensive is marketed at the genre, then I think it's safe to say that steampunk has gone mainstream. Don't mistake me, though, I think this watch is GORGEOUS...but, well, yeah, if I had that kinda' money, I'd be blowing it on custom woven silk.<br /><br />I'm also not ready to abandon steampunk, not when folks are making such awesomeness like this:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9kEX9iFugOE/UL6ElNe47rI/AAAAAAAAAOk/X2Q96ab2wY4/s1600/IMG_2926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9kEX9iFugOE/UL6ElNe47rI/AAAAAAAAAOk/X2Q96ab2wY4/s320/IMG_2926.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gwendolyn, from <a href="http://idlewildgrey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Idlewild Illustré</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Holey crap, that's so HOT. And I must mention this:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlTFMohlP9I/UL5wqxjkc5I/AAAAAAAAB2o/I9os_m30BBY/s640/2012-11-30+14.49.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlTFMohlP9I/UL5wqxjkc5I/AAAAAAAAB2o/I9os_m30BBY/s320/2012-11-30+14.49.24.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ColeV, from the inequitable <a href="http://mantuadiary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diary of a Mantua Maker</a></td></tr></tbody></table>I'm seriously in love with these outfits. I was losing interest in steampunk, but these ladies are poking my imagination.<br /><br />Also: hello! I'm back, mostly. Yeah, I had to take a real hiatus from this blog for the last four months. I had piled on so much "other stuff" that costuming had to go on the shelf for a while. Not to say I've been idle, crafting keeps me sane when I'm under stress. I'll write up some post about what I've been up to, after I take care of some more important business. Thanks for sticking with me!<br /><br />One more thing: Merry Christmas, everyone! Whether you're Christian or not, it's a day to relax, be with family, play board games, and EAT (one of my favorite things to do!)Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-16346726294213427752012-09-13T11:20:00.001-07:002012-09-13T11:20:12.169-07:00I got a Liebster Blog award!!!Wow, being recognized by fellow costumers is really special. Idle Hands is now officially Liebster Blog recipient!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcG8rfZelKQ/UFIg1NIC0MI/AAAAAAAABAc/zgTvK7gxoq4/s1600/avard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcG8rfZelKQ/UFIg1NIC0MI/AAAAAAAABAc/zgTvK7gxoq4/s1600/avard.jpg" /></a></div><br />Yesterday, Angela of <a href="http://themerrydressmaker.blogspot.com/">The Merry Dressmaker </a>extended this lovely honor to this blog. Read about her other honorees, and <a href="http://themerrydressmaker.blogspot.com/2012/09/and-award-goes-to.html">visit her fantastic blog</a>!<br /><br />What is the Liebster Blog Award? It's a way for bloggers to recognize the talent, effort, craftsmanship, writing, photography, and all-around coolness of fellow bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. "Liebster" means "favorite" in German, so it's a "favorite blog award."<br /><br />Part of the Liebster Blog Award is to pass it on. So, very soon, as soon as I can carve out some time, I will announce my list of Liebster Blog Award recipients!<br /><br />Thank a bunch, Angela, and stay tuned for more mis-use of power tools. :)Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-91680407816166093152012-09-02T16:40:00.000-07:002013-05-24T11:27:38.911-07:00Learning Card Weaving, Part 2Ok, I'm back, with another quick post about my card weaving project.<br /><br /><a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2012/08/learning-card-weaving-part-1.html">When I left off</a>, I had gotten my warp wrapped around my improvised warp beam, and had strung up the cards. I just had to secure the warps to my "cloth beam" and then I could get started weaving.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EhYwbsGi3nY/UEPdlsO17wI/AAAAAAAAA-w/H_DYcfyxqvU/s1600/P1030773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EhYwbsGi3nY/UEPdlsO17wI/AAAAAAAAA-w/H_DYcfyxqvU/s320/P1030773.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "cloth beam" is just another clamp. I rather<br />lazily secured the warps with a medium Gem clip.<br />They weren't super secure, but good enough for<br />me to get started.</td></tr></tbody></table>For this project I'm using size 10 cotton crochet thread (probably Aunt Lydia's brand; I don't have the labels anymore), because I have a lot of it laying around (it's my favorite thread for lucet work). I'm using the same thread for the weft, in red to match the selvedge edges.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vRHOhSXVpxw/UEPfPZygh_I/AAAAAAAAA-4/9XQ60BrK1sM/s1600/P1030774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vRHOhSXVpxw/UEPfPZygh_I/AAAAAAAAA-4/9XQ60BrK1sM/s320/P1030774.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I started weaving, scroll frame arms tended<br />to pivot and cause slack in the warps. I flipped<br />the clamp around, which helped but didn't<br />eliminate the pivoting.</td></tr></tbody></table>I had several objectives with this project:<br /><br />1. Could I get the warps properly rolled onto a warp bar?<br /><br />The warps here are 80 inches long, which makes them only slightly longer than the 72 inch warps for <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2011/10/paddle-loom.html">my pink stocking garters</a>. The stocking garters have 37 warps, though, whereas this project has 64! Anyway, with the exception of the pivoting problem, I got a very satisfactory wrap round my improvised warp bar.<br /><br />2. Can I really work a pattern where the cards rotate only one way?<br /><br />I don't think so, but I must be missing something. After I had woven about a foot, the warps behind the cards had turned into ropes.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2yrxZOlijg/UEPjpJXCorI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/NfNSBdwQO-4/s1600/P1030778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O2yrxZOlijg/UEPjpJXCorI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/NfNSBdwQO-4/s320/P1030778.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By turning the cards only one way, the warps<br />got twisted to the point where I couldn't move<br />the cards back any more.</td></tr></tbody></table>Candace Crockett, in her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Card-Weaving-Candace-Crockett/dp/0934026610/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346626608&amp;sr=8-1-spell&amp;keywords=candacec+crockett"><i>Card Weaving</i></a> (I have a copy, and it's quite excellent) suggests untwisting the warps. I'm thinking, after all the time it took me to roll up the warps (and it really did take a while), do I really want to unroll them? My conclusion was, what's the worst that could happen, and I went ahead and unrolled the warps. Well, the worst didn't happen, but pretty near: I ended up with a twisted, snarly mess that I was not going to be able to get back onto the bar (I have no photo evidence of this...it's too embarrassing). I soldiered on and just wrestled with the twisty mess, replace the scroll frame with the clamp by itself and clipping the warps to the clamp's bar. Needless to say, I had an issue with keeping even tension.<br /><br />Also: I decided I should just turn the cards in the reverse direction.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KYUhs1g7hjc/UEPqi1kjCGI/AAAAAAAAA_4/pWP0PRlhqXU/s1600/P1030783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KYUhs1g7hjc/UEPqi1kjCGI/AAAAAAAAA_4/pWP0PRlhqXU/s320/P1030783.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two turnaround points, where I reversed the turning<br />direction of the cards.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>There's probably something I'm not understanding yet, but so far I'm not sure you can work a pattern where the cards only turn one direction. At least not with a piece that's this long.<br /><br />Anyway, my third goal was to get a better understanding of how card weaving works.<br /><br />My fourth goal is to find a solution for Laura's weaving problem, which she talks about partway through <a href="http://theeleonoraproject.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/eleonora-x-2/">this post</a>. I don't think I have an answer yet.<br /><br />In the meantime, the piece is done!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-12dfttZ4FLM/UEPrD3JbbkI/AAAAAAAABAA/nYpm324SURc/s1600/P1030784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-12dfttZ4FLM/UEPrD3JbbkI/AAAAAAAABAA/nYpm324SURc/s320/P1030784.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back side looks nice, too!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The color combination makes me think of traffic signs, but I'm still quite fond of it. I hereby dub this piece: "The Road Goes This Way!"<br /><br />I got the pattern from <a href="http://eqos.deviantart.com/gallery/23743953">eqos at Deviantart</a> (she calls this one "Korba"). Check her out, she generously gives these patterns away.<br /><br />I was aiming for 60 inches and ended up just one inch short. The weave is tight but not totally consistent; I think that once I can keep the warp evenly tensioned, I can achieve better consistency.<br /><br />But I must find a solution to Laura's problem....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-17560407857893481572012-08-31T12:45:00.000-07:002013-05-24T11:27:16.027-07:00Learning Card Weaving, Part 1<div>My blog has gone rather idle, sorry about that! Ever since I got back from <a href="http://www.costumecollege.net/index.html">Costume College</a>, I've been utterly swamped. My hands haven't been idle, despite how busy I am.<br /><br />My latest thing has been card weaving, aka tablet weaving, aka inkle weaving (though I think "inkle weaving" really means weaving with an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkle_weaving">inkle loom</a>, with or without cards, so that might be a bit of a misnomer).<br /><br />This is just a quick post to show <a href="http://theeleonoraproject.wordpress.com/">Laura (aka Rocking the Frock)</a> my improvised loom (and my equally improvised photo box).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JRQybkY2ZEE/UED1_LWcQ5I/AAAAAAAAAFc/yBaWOLES_lw/P1030768.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Improvised card weaving loom, using two clamps and part<br />of an embroidery scroll frame.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><a href="http://theeleonoraproject.wordpress.com/">Laura is reproducing the gown worn by Eleonora di Toledo as painted by Bronzino</a>. She's considering weaving the gold and silver trim on the gown herself. I'm hoping to help her out by figuring out a way to for her to do it by card weaving.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_BKWpafqSEI/UED2k_WaLfI/AAAAAAAAAFs/0rnkLAZaic8/P1030769.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warps wound around a dowel and cards loaded.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div>At one end I've got the warps wrapped around one of the two dowels from a scroll frame for embroidery. I clamped the sides of the frame to a scrap of board I had laying around. The pink paper is something like heavy construction paper, somewhat similar in weight to grocery bags. I'm not sure what it is exactly, since it came from a roll a contractor left at my house. The Gem clips are keeping the cards (sixteen, for this pattern) under control while I load them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_kZ_BKXV4sI/UED2EICXMUI/AAAAAAAAAFk/xt6bsEpvkhE/P1030770.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In-progress warping, not quite ready to weave yet.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />At the other end I have the warps wrapped around the bar of another clamp. I still need to tighten up the warps before I get started actually weaving. I'm using a pair of not-separated restaurant take-away chop sticks to keep the warps under control in the mean time.<br /><br />By my next post I'll probably have woven this piece. I'll talk more about the process then. Stay tuned!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-13126125033301149722012-07-15T21:15:00.001-07:002012-07-15T21:16:34.272-07:00The Pink Parasol's New Handle, Part 1Give a woman power tools, and creative things will happen (whether they were meant to be that way or not).<br /><br />Some years ago I bought this little parasol:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AU57p_GuOnE/UANsyZx-2kI/AAAAAAAAA8w/PbTPStQcuUI/s1600/12HPA0012-P1030176.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AU57p_GuOnE/UANsyZx-2kI/AAAAAAAAA8w/PbTPStQcuUI/s320/12HPA0012-P1030176.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small parasol that's lost it's handle. Hard to<br />date, could have been made anywhere<br />between 1890 and 1930.</td></tr></tbody></table>It was cheap. Even in its day it was must have been cheap, its construction is mediocre, its parts are economy. And your eyes do not deceive you, its handle is broken off and irretrievably lost. But that made it unloved, and cheap.<br /><br />This isn't the only parasol I have that has lost its handle, but because it's such a budget frame it's going to be my first full-handle-replacement project. Over the last few weeks I've been gathering the tools and parts I need. Today I went at it (though I'm REALLY supposed to be doing <a href="http://costumecollege.net/">Costume College</a> prep. Oh well.)<br /><br />First thing is the replacement handle. I had originally planned to use an ordinary dowel, but went with the top end of a walking cane instead. A dowel would have had uniform thickness from top to bottom, while canes are generally a bit tapered, and that made, I think, for a more natural shape. The cane I used was *ahem* cheap, not very round, and not even meant to be used as a cane (it's only decorative). But it was a tapered stick of wood, which would do the job.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crHylQ1wqmg/UANuv-5-3eI/AAAAAAAAA84/RmcJ_9jOiCI/s1600/IMG_20120715_173139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crHylQ1wqmg/UANuv-5-3eI/AAAAAAAAA84/RmcJ_9jOiCI/s320/IMG_20120715_173139.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's left of the cane. I was too trigger-<br />happy with the saw to take a photo before<br />cutting it up. It has an orange stain that<br />would look fine, but it also has a nasty-<br />varnish on top.</td></tr></tbody></table>And now I had to solve a problem: how to drill a straight, centered hole into the end of a dowel? I explored a narrow handful of options (including buying a drill press, but I don't have anywhere to put a 100+ lbs tool), and then <a href="http://lynnmcmasters.com/">Lynn McMasters</a> said, go buy this:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WWZj_6KIrU/UANwAwuc2jI/AAAAAAAAA9A/PoGhSEh3tsY/s1600/IMG_20120715_173822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WWZj_6KIrU/UANwAwuc2jI/AAAAAAAAA9A/PoGhSEh3tsY/s320/IMG_20120715_173822.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My doweling jig.</td></tr></tbody></table>This is a doweling jig, which one uses to drill holes into the ends of planks in order to join them with dowel pins. Lynn has one that she's used to build a table, or something (Lynn is a master at technical solutions).<br /><br />The doweling jig solved half the problem. I still need a way to hold the dowel itself, because if I just clamped it into the jig, the dowel would likely just rotate with the drill bit (or so I read on woodworking websites). So, I needed a dowel jig...for the doweling jig. Yeah, stay with me here.<br /><br />I found the solution here: <a href="http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2008/04/08/dowel-drilling-jig/">http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2008/04/08/dowel-drilling-jig/&nbsp; </a>I just needed to adapt it for the doweling jig.<br /><br />First, to drill a big hole. So happens I have these big drilling bits (don't ask why, I do a lot of DYI on my house).<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I774msas1BU/UAOUDJpevII/AAAAAAAAA-I/UYRdKu1mUiI/s1600/IMG_20120715_201605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I774msas1BU/UAOUDJpevII/AAAAAAAAA-I/UYRdKu1mUiI/s320/IMG_20120715_201605.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big old bore drilling bits.<br />The big one is missing because it's stuck in the mount<br />(long story).</td></tr></tbody></table>And here's what happened.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LT8EBD8qELE/UAOMOFQ4zrI/AAAAAAAAA9M/WCOryrMW6jM/s1600/IMG_20120715_173252.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LT8EBD8qELE/UAOMOFQ4zrI/AAAAAAAAA9M/WCOryrMW6jM/s320/IMG_20120715_173252.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Clamp" for the work piece on the left,<br />piece-to-be-clamped on the right. If I<br />had planned better, it wouldn't have split.</td></tr></tbody></table>I wanted to fix a second piece of wood at a right angle to the one with the dowel hole, so I drilled holes for two dowel pins into the piece on the right (and used the doweling jig for this, yep, it works every bit as well as advertised!) Then I went to drill two holes into the piece on the left, and, well, I tried to drill into the kerf and split the wood.<br /><br />I went at it with a file to see if I could make it work anyway. I got the other dowel pin to fit, but notice here that the upright piece is at an angle.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MboM4wsKkKk/UAOMsiR6MeI/AAAAAAAAA9U/eqTsAdhdqVM/s1600/IMG_20120715_173329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MboM4wsKkKk/UAOMsiR6MeI/AAAAAAAAA9U/eqTsAdhdqVM/s320/IMG_20120715_173329.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How they fit together (off-kilter; that'll need<br />to be fixed.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Yeah, that's not helpful when you're trying to line things up perfectly. These are postmortem photos, and I only noticed the off-kilter angle when I took them. I'll have to fix that before I try this again.<br /><br />Now to put it all together. I clamped the work piece, the new handle, into the hole, and clamped the whole thing into the doweling jig. Yes, that made quite a contraption.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YZGcsIsOTsM/UAONq9UgN7I/AAAAAAAAA9c/LQbUlE68mXo/s1600/IMG_20120715_171012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YZGcsIsOTsM/UAONq9UgN7I/AAAAAAAAA9c/LQbUlE68mXo/s320/IMG_20120715_171012.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All clamped together.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmtyXKMp-_s/UAON1Hau3kI/AAAAAAAAA9k/4Oput6Oa1n4/s1600/IMG_20120715_171402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmtyXKMp-_s/UAON1Hau3kI/AAAAAAAAA9k/4Oput6Oa1n4/s320/IMG_20120715_171402.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to drill. Here you can see the work piece.</td></tr></tbody></table>And here's what it looks like. Bit off center, but it'll do.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9eqDlnEoNc/UAOQismfosI/AAAAAAAAA9w/yL2Kikwk5Ro/s1600/IMG_20120715_171536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9eqDlnEoNc/UAOQismfosI/AAAAAAAAA9w/yL2Kikwk5Ro/s320/IMG_20120715_171536.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3/8 inch bore hole for the new stick.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAmMLsL0hqM/UAORab97jRI/AAAAAAAAA98/zPJorXOnCEA/s1600/IMG_20120715_173209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAmMLsL0hqM/UAORab97jRI/AAAAAAAAA98/zPJorXOnCEA/s320/IMG_20120715_173209.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the left, the new handle with new<br />partial stick. On the right, the frame with<br />a brass tube on the end, which will<br />connect and support the joint.</td></tr></tbody></table>Notice that the frame, with the tube attached, is bent. I don't know what the original frame's stick is made of but it's certainly not a great piece of wood. <br /><br />At this point I need to trim the brass tube, and I want to sand the handle some more. But it was late, I was hot and hungry, and decided to call it an evening.Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-23845222077368470302012-07-01T23:20:00.000-07:002012-07-02T07:08:01.966-07:00Powder Blue Parasol, Part 2 (the last)I finished the powder blue cotton parasol that I was embroidering in <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2012/06/powder-blue-parasol-part-1.html">this earlier post</a>. This parasol was the finished sample for <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2012/06/edwardian-parasol-workshop.html">my class last week</a>, though it wasn't really done until I picked up the tassel from <a href="http://www.lynnmcmasters.com/">Lynn McMasters</a> at the class. Here's the full photo spread I took after the class.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6cF2QERk4U/T_E20gTA6KI/AAAAAAAAA6o/JfcnZd7nZCQ/s1600/P1030605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6cF2QERk4U/T_E20gTA6KI/AAAAAAAAA6o/JfcnZd7nZCQ/s320/P1030605.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished parasol.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_mw4i8whZU/T_E20fmG0VI/AAAAAAAAA6c/00q5jMDfxa4/s1600/P1030603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_mw4i8whZU/T_E20fmG0VI/AAAAAAAAA6c/00q5jMDfxa4/s320/P1030603.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large canopy panels gave me lots of room<br />to embellish, first with some simple embroidery.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k9s-c5Z2SkQ/T_E20wDeobI/AAAAAAAAA60/daCY8DVc6II/s1600/P1030606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k9s-c5Z2SkQ/T_E20wDeobI/AAAAAAAAA60/daCY8DVc6II/s320/P1030606.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the upper area I put four rows of tucks.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qHjKNlP2KC0/T_E21epOwOI/AAAAAAAAA7A/6rr2ZPFlz7g/s1600/P1030607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qHjKNlP2KC0/T_E21epOwOI/AAAAAAAAA7A/6rr2ZPFlz7g/s320/P1030607.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small rosette covers the opening in the<br />center of the canopy..</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYAP0YFbzAs/T_E38rKTUMI/AAAAAAAAA7M/R8Jp9-u7lBk/s1600/P1030608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYAP0YFbzAs/T_E38rKTUMI/AAAAAAAAA7M/R8Jp9-u7lBk/s320/P1030608.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small touches make this modern frame<br />look more period, like these rosettes<br />on the underside of the canopy.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gHohVRCldSc/T_E6nP5a39I/AAAAAAAAA8M/MwIxa4RyM0w/s1600/P1030609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gHohVRCldSc/T_E6nP5a39I/AAAAAAAAA8M/MwIxa4RyM0w/s320/P1030609.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A full view of the underside.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rnOSOm98G0E/T_E39C8kqbI/AAAAAAAAA7k/TnobqO2QMpc/s1600/P1030611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rnOSOm98G0E/T_E39C8kqbI/AAAAAAAAA7k/TnobqO2QMpc/s320/P1030611.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another finishing touch, a custom-made tassel<br />by Lynn McMasters.</td></tr></tbody></table>Lynn is teaching a class on tassel making at Costume College. She and I have been lamenting how modern tassels and fringe just don't look like the silk tassels and fringe of 100 years ago. She's been developing tassels. I've been developing fringe. But more on that later.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-rbT8YQJtk/T_E39W2kwGI/AAAAAAAAA7w/kajNeqhFOac/s1600/P1030612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-rbT8YQJtk/T_E39W2kwGI/AAAAAAAAA7w/kajNeqhFOac/s320/P1030612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This parasol uses a ring-and-button closure mechanism I've<br />seen on extant parasols.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wl-GY7ovYW4/T_E39wonVRI/AAAAAAAAA78/-2rHqX_X1kQ/s1600/P1030613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wl-GY7ovYW4/T_E39wonVRI/AAAAAAAAA78/-2rHqX_X1kQ/s320/P1030613.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And propped in a corner. </td></tr></tbody></table>For your amusement, here's the reverse sequence of how this parasol came from a modern umbrella.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6cF2QERk4U/T_E20gTA6KI/AAAAAAAAA6o/JfcnZd7nZCQ/s1600/P1030605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6cF2QERk4U/T_E20gTA6KI/AAAAAAAAA6o/JfcnZd7nZCQ/s320/P1030605.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGNp-lkmkIQ/T_E9OLqZ-ZI/AAAAAAAAA8k/6zJbe3wjCok/s1600/P1030556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGNp-lkmkIQ/T_E9OLqZ-ZI/AAAAAAAAA8k/6zJbe3wjCok/s320/P1030556.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGSmLtYaUeY/T_E87844gnI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/lVTpKKnjwdg/s1600/P1030552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGSmLtYaUeY/T_E87844gnI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/lVTpKKnjwdg/s320/P1030552.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-80762144355219675282012-06-24T11:48:00.001-07:002012-06-24T11:48:10.979-07:00Edwardian Parasol WorkshopWhat a fun day! Yesterday I taught a class for the <a href="http://www.gbacg.org/">Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild</a>, "<a href="http://www.gbacg.org/current/parasol-recovering-workshop.html">Edwardian Parasol Recovering Workshop</a>." I had eleven enthusiastic, talented, and creative students. No one finished, but just about everyone just had to do the final attaching-to-the-frame.<br /><br />This was the first class I've ever taught for the GBACG (I've taught privately and at Costume College). I do wish everyone had been able to finish, and have some ideas for next time. Yes, there will be a next time, I had a ton of fun and would do it again!<br /><br />Here's a photo recap of the day (scroll to the end to see some of the results!)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngKgr9ID55k/T-dT1djikiI/AAAAAAAAA3E/8rD5JfHOPE8/s1600/P1030575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngKgr9ID55k/T-dT1djikiI/AAAAAAAAA3E/8rD5JfHOPE8/s320/P1030575.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umbrellas packed, student packets packed. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EcZkvQJTR7g/T-dT8vR38II/AAAAAAAAA3M/fy8J28LMG6s/s1600/P1030576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EcZkvQJTR7g/T-dT8vR38II/AAAAAAAAA3M/fy8J28LMG6s/s320/P1030576.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parasols packed!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FXwVe2bRasI/T-dUvT-k5II/AAAAAAAAA3U/WeMy-Mh5fdA/s1600/P1030577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FXwVe2bRasI/T-dUvT-k5II/AAAAAAAAA3U/WeMy-Mh5fdA/s320/P1030577.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A handful of antiques from my collection. I brought them to<br />give a lecture on history and mechanics of parasols.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J9CUtPd-ywE/T-dU3UjJScI/AAAAAAAAA3c/ZzTkefaZsRY/s1600/P1030579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J9CUtPd-ywE/T-dU3UjJScI/AAAAAAAAA3c/ZzTkefaZsRY/s320/P1030579.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some more antiques and two modern, recovered parasols.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9N3sL8wcAs/T-dV6xH6l9I/AAAAAAAAA3s/dIG21WgyMgg/s1600/P1030581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9N3sL8wcAs/T-dV6xH6l9I/AAAAAAAAA3s/dIG21WgyMgg/s320/P1030581.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AJ de-nuding her umbrella, with Tara and Leah.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oMH7ITJwaqk/T-dWCKvY6-I/AAAAAAAAA34/hptD1w9efdE/s1600/P1030582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oMH7ITJwaqk/T-dWCKvY6-I/AAAAAAAAA34/hptD1w9efdE/s320/P1030582.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris and Lynn stitching away.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pigOl1RFKBc/T-ddPQMzvII/AAAAAAAAA6M/M7i_PfoS3DY/s1600/P1030583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pigOl1RFKBc/T-ddPQMzvII/AAAAAAAAA6M/M7i_PfoS3DY/s320/P1030583.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noelle, cutting deliciously striped silk.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F5gtsU4grdI/T-dWRCnm6NI/AAAAAAAAA4I/2QFQKkehRR0/s1600/P1030584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F5gtsU4grdI/T-dWRCnm6NI/AAAAAAAAA4I/2QFQKkehRR0/s320/P1030584.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara and Judith, who is deeply<br />contemplating her trims.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQQBO-doS_w/T-dWXtEVzMI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/ylvnRghMXBM/s1600/P1030589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQQBO-doS_w/T-dWXtEVzMI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/ylvnRghMXBM/s320/P1030589.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lynn made her two smocking pleaters available for the<br />class (this one has been at my house for a few<br />weeks...I've had MUCH FUN with it).</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUiulqLREOw/T-dWfOIgAnI/AAAAAAAAA4c/KL_JCQuyIrw/s1600/P1030590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUiulqLREOw/T-dWfOIgAnI/AAAAAAAAA4c/KL_JCQuyIrw/s320/P1030590.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We used them to gather up the rosettes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>And here are some of the results!!!</b></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93ewVMkvGhY/T-dWl80EX8I/AAAAAAAAA4o/xq5kYJ17emg/s1600/P1030591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93ewVMkvGhY/T-dWl80EX8I/AAAAAAAAA4o/xq5kYJ17emg/s320/P1030591.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy's stripes.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qmwCXgkdjYs/T-dWs0_TGZI/AAAAAAAAA40/EBowIzzn4yY/s1600/P1030592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qmwCXgkdjYs/T-dWs0_TGZI/AAAAAAAAA40/EBowIzzn4yY/s320/P1030592.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy made her outside rosette extra long. Love it!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edAH2kW9k5k/T-dW0IPu4uI/AAAAAAAAA48/3qOTJjc4IS8/s1600/P1030593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edAH2kW9k5k/T-dW0IPu4uI/AAAAAAAAA48/3qOTJjc4IS8/s320/P1030593.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne's plaid.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dBCpsGxXaf4/T-dW_f3oByI/AAAAAAAAA5E/3HUyfNgmNkM/s1600/P1030594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dBCpsGxXaf4/T-dW_f3oByI/AAAAAAAAA5E/3HUyfNgmNkM/s320/P1030594.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaids just do GREAT on parasols.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CB8Teb8vVjk/T-dXGi-Y1_I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/xZPt2lcEOrk/s1600/P1030596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CB8Teb8vVjk/T-dXGi-Y1_I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/xZPt2lcEOrk/s320/P1030596.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lynn's, with pinned on gimp<br />(there will also be FRINGE!)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMD4orlBTso/T-dXUdohGHI/AAAAAAAAA5g/QKY_sG0vAWM/s1600/P1030598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMD4orlBTso/T-dXUdohGHI/AAAAAAAAA5g/QKY_sG0vAWM/s320/P1030598.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great deep dome.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOvFrDRw4uw/T-dXNmyVkJI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/X19C82IHoEY/s1600/P1030597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOvFrDRw4uw/T-dXNmyVkJI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/X19C82IHoEY/s320/P1030597.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leah's cotton stripes. You can<br />run your stripes around, or up and down!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JBCkQdAKTKk/T-dXaiEudaI/AAAAAAAAA5o/412MVwYYRJ8/s1600/P1030599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JBCkQdAKTKk/T-dXaiEudaI/AAAAAAAAA5o/412MVwYYRJ8/s320/P1030599.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manon's sea foam blue silk.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ho_UFsg0DH8/T-dXhM6pkTI/AAAAAAAAA5w/dq7YtI56CR8/s1600/P1030600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ho_UFsg0DH8/T-dXhM6pkTI/AAAAAAAAA5w/dq7YtI56CR8/s320/P1030600.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara's printed silk.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k3SW4rnNsbc/T-dXnV_1FaI/AAAAAAAAA54/Vterhek2Hs8/s1600/P1030601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k3SW4rnNsbc/T-dXnV_1FaI/AAAAAAAAA54/Vterhek2Hs8/s320/P1030601.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we stepped outside, it positively<br />GLOWED.</td></tr></tbody></table>I'll have follow-up posts for the two frames I prepared as demo's for this workshop, and then maybe I'll, like, stop talking about parasols for a little while. Maybe. ;)Claudine de Montignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07768148711019787011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-56402283685869953712012-06-17T15:24:00.000-07:002012-06-17T15:24:28.785-07:00Parasol Workshop, Part 3This is a follow-on post to my earlier posts documenting steps in recovering a parasol:<br /><br /><a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2011/08/parasol-workshop-part-1.html">Parasol Workshop, Part 1</a>: canopy seams.<br /><a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2011/08/parasol-workshop-part-2.html">Parasol Workshop, Part 2</a>: attaching to the frame.<br /><br />In this post I describe another odd and unique step in recovering a parasol, which, well, really goes <i>in between</i> parts 1 and 2 above, but anyway, here it is now.<br /><br />This step describes setting and reinforcing the hole at the center of the canopy. I have found this reinforcement on several extant canopy remnants, and on the modern umbrella <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2012_05_01_archive.html">that I'm converting into a parasol</a>. My antique frames generally have little to nothing left of the canopy, so I can't tell you that the reinforcement is universal.<br /><br />In some cases, the reinforcement isn't necessary. In the couple of cases where I've seen it, the seam of the canopy was shorter than the length of the rib. This difference is length is one way to manipulate the shape of the canopy. What happens, though, is that as you pull the canopy to attach it to the rib tip, the hole at the center of the parasol stretches and pulls out of shape. Now every time you close the frame, it'll slip down over the ribs.<br /><br />So, here is what you do:<br /><br />1. Put the canopy onto the frame tip. Keep the frame closed. With a double-length of thread, secure the thread about 1/4" from the opening.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2zXXygrOSSA/T95TdNinuOI/AAAAAAAAAEc/tzwszxjfz4k/s1600/P1030565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2zXXygrOSSA/T95TdNinuOI/AAAAAAAAAEc/tzwszxjfz4k/s320/P1030565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like to place my stitches through the seams, since it's<br />a sturdy point. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKxL4IDErvU/T95TjbHW9DI/AAAAAAAAAEk/xXOYutLwxYE/s1600/P1030566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKxL4IDErvU/T95TjbHW9DI/AAAAAAAAAEk/xXOYutLwxYE/s320/P1030566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pass the needle between the threads and under the knot.</td></tr></tbody></table>2. Back stitch around the opening. Pull the stitches snug against the tip of the frame.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oye3eaYq7c/T95XYHk-JOI/AAAAAAAAAEw/1Ke2_kNEqMg/s1600/P1030568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oye3eaYq7c/T95XYHk-JOI/AAAAAAAAAEw/1Ke2_kNEqMg/s320/P1030568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't ask why I'm going left to right instead of right to left.<br />It made sense at the time, and ultimately it doesn't matter<br />which direction you go.</td></tr></tbody></table>3. When you're done you have gathered the fabric a little. The stitches should be snug against the frame tip.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kwIw5Tp0p_4/T95XjrqfQ_I/AAAAAAAAAFA/xLiXdzuMVtY/s1600/P1030570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kwIw5Tp0p_4/T95XjrqfQ_I/AAAAAAAAAFA/xLiXdzuMVtY/s320/P1030570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Now you're basically ready to finish attaching the canopy to the frame.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532119599595729229.post-28606199577712995972012-06-06T07:27:00.002-07:002012-06-06T07:27:30.183-07:00Powder Blue Parasol, Part 1<div>I've been embroidering again. This design is for the parasol I mocked up in <a href="http://claudinedemontigny.blogspot.com/2012/05/so-about-those-umbrellas.html">this earlier post</a>. One of two, actually, since I'm going to do two versions of this parasol.<br /><br />Oh right: that's what the umbrellas are all about. The frames are pretty darn good for converting into Edwardian-era parasols. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9ceqzRP9Oc/T89oaqmlkNI/AAAAAAAAAEI/6ne5phu4S-A/s1600/P1030562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9ceqzRP9Oc/T89oaqmlkNI/AAAAAAAAAEI/6ne5phu4S-A/s320/P1030562.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />This design actually has a cutwork component, but I've enlarged it so much that I don't trust the cutwork area (the wedge shapes) to be stable.<br /><br />Here are all the panels, stacked up and ready to sew...but that'll have to wait for later.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EwoR2wdjP5I/T89ohLc8NrI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/5DrDb_GNvOM/s1600/P1030563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EwoR2wdjP5I/T89ohLc8NrI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/5DrDb_GNvOM/s320/P1030563.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />I'm following the philosophy of: if you can find&nbsp; half hour to do a little sewing (or blogging!) DO.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0